The day started with a breakfast that I cooked in the kitchen. A Denver omelet, coffee, juice.

Again, too bad I cannot upload any of the thousands of pics I have taken.

Just after 8 AM I was into the cab with the cracked windshield for a 140 km round trip road trip north from Luxor (Luxor is on the east bank of the Nile). Went through the checkpoint at the bridge then crossed over the Nile to the west bank and then north past the Valley of the Queens and the Valley of the Kings north to the Temple of Dendara. We passed about 10 police checkpoints along the way and the only problem was when the cab driver did not have a valid cab operator license for the month of May. I sat alone in the cab for 10 minutes at the checkpoint as the driver resolved the renewal, then we were off again.

 

We stopped at a mud brick factory (everything was manual and hand labor) to allow me to take a few pics, but made a hasty retreat back into the cab when the owner started yelling that he wanted $10.00 for me to take pictures. I still got a few pics before he could get close enough to start hassling me in earnest.  The men squatting in the dirt in the mid morning sun, making the mud bricks swiftly by hand at the rate of 4 a minute, earned $8.00 US a day.

The road north was several hundred feet above the Nile and it was desert – nothing but rock – not a single plant of any size visible anywhere on the roadside. The landscape was dramatically different than the lush, green, productive, irrigated land just a half mile away in what was once the Nile’s flood plain (before the Aswan High Dam). It was a landscape more barren than much of Death Valley. Trash piles lined the entire road.

Most of rural roadside Egypt looks like a landfill, full of trash and rubble, but with no smell, since the flies, bugs, mice, rats, cats, dogs, sheep, goats or donkeys eat everything organic that is in the trash piles.  Often the remaining rubbish is set on fire to burn the paper and plastic.

We passed hundreds of donkey carts and several communities where a civilian guard – not the police or Army, stood on the roadside with either a shotgun or a rifle as they provided security protection for the community.

Prior to entry to the Dendura temple parking lot, the police at the checkpoint wanted to know where we were from (Luxor) and my nationality for their logbook.  They did not ask for my papers, luckily.  I normally leave my passport hidden in my room and only take a xerox copy with me.

The large parking lot was empty – completely. I wandered around the ancient temple for several hours, occasionally with the assistance of a friendly police officer that spoke a little english. “ Where from you?” I sat with him and conversed.  We had tea on a bench just inside the temple, with his auto weapon resting between us. He confirmed that I could not take his picture, but somehow, accidentally 😜…….I did.

 

I had the entire temple to myself.  I wandered, marveled and took pictures. It was beautiful – with hieroglyphs on every vertical wall surface and many walls and ceilings still showing some ancient paint. The entire complex was surrounded by a deteriorating wall 30 feet high made from millions of ancient mud bricks. Built over hundreds of years by a series of rulers, it was built rather recently by Egyptian standards.  It is only about 2100 years old, and the Roman influence is visible.  It covers over 10 acres or 40,000 square meters.

Being an American, the police were concerned about me as we exited the checkpoint and required the cab to take the longer, slower road on the east bank of the Nile back to Luxor. They required us to follow a police truck – a mini pickup with an armed policeman in the back. (A convoy escort not unlike the one I will doubtless have when taking the 8 hour round trip journey to Abu Simbel from Aswan in several days). They ensured we stayed in sight as we progressed south down the east bank of the Nile. After we passed the third or fourth checkpoint, about 20 km on the way back to Luxor, they waved us ahead unescorted. But we continued to pass through numerous police checkpoints and guards with guns at several community entrances. My ID has never been checked. My hair is my ID, maybe.

Back in Luxor, Abdoul took me with him in his car as he ran errands – buying toilet paper and soap for the hotel, picking up his three year old son for a sleepover with his father at the hotel, dropping off the Thai couple at the train station, to the tailor to pickup my tailored shirt ($5.00 to sew, including the obligatory baksheesh).

Then we were off to the market. A bag full of cilantro, dill, something like parsley, mint and other fresh greens for $1.50.  Then 3 kilo of potatoes, 2 kilo of tomatoes, onions – all for $2.50. Off again to get some meat – 2 rotisserie chickens, bread, containers of a potato stew and a vegie stew for $12.00. In the kitchen, Abdoul and I made salad and prepared dinner together for his adopted nephew, grandson, and 2 staff members. I sent Jimmy out to buy me some beers (much cheaper to pay him to buy for me).  Dinner was delicious and it was was with great company.

After dinner I went out on my own to buy more 100% Egyptian cotton for 4 more tailored shirts.  It took a lot of haggling – about 30 minutes, a cup of tea, showing pics on my iPhone and lots of the travelers dance, but I eventually was successful in closing the deal for $5.00 a meter for 8+ meters of really nice shirt material. Will drop it off at the sewing shop tomorrow. It was now 9:30 PM and the seller (really a multilingual interpreter/salesman) and I then went to a bar for a beer.

As we walked I was a little intimidated for the first time today as we went 6 or 8 blocks to the bar. I ensured that the beer bottles never left my sight after they were opened, just in case someone might try to slip something nefarious in the bottle (the bar was a little seedy, even by Egyptian standards). After paying for the two beers each, we walked back to my hotel, but not without “the dance” for more baksheesh for the fabric. I politely but insistently refused, but not before I was safely on the hotel doorstep.

OK, enough of the soft stuff. Time for the current events editorial and commentary.

Back in my room, I watched the news on cable TV.  CNN’s coverage feels more like a British TV presentation than an American TV presentation – no Wolf, no Anderson – it is almost exclusively unknown faces with British voices. They run a loop of in depth stories that repeats every hour. Lots of Trump coverage today now that he is the presumptive Republican noninee– the repeating clips of Trump spouting off about the trade imbalance with China, Japan and Mexico, his idea of the need for diminishing support for South Korea and NATO, proposing nukes for Korea and Japan, his wonderful friendship with Putin, the wonderful Mexican food at Trump Towers on Cinco de Mayo.  All of these clips make Americans look like fucking idiots on the world stage.

The former Mexican president Vincente Fox was on yesterday and he came across as Presidential, as he appoligized for his language about the wall, but it was not an appology TO Trump, as Trump alledges.

Later, I read online at the National Enquirer website that Trump is so talented and capable at EVERYTHING that he gives HiMSELF Swedish back massages while he sucks his own dick.  Some people believe anything they read or hear someone say on tv or read on the inet.

Two days ago I was asked by a Japanese man at the hotel about Trump. Nodding like a bobble head, he said “He hates Japan, yes?”

I have repeatedly watched the Muslims of Luxor do business, smoke shisha (a coarse cut tobacco mixed with honey) play dominoes, sit and drink tea or laughing with the 30% Orthodox Christian population of Luxor (25% of Egypt is Christian).

The Brits in London just elected a Muslim mayor today and there are clips of him talking about religious unity in the UK juxtaposed seconds later with clips of you know who saying he proposes “A total and complete shutdown on Muslims entering the US.”  Imagine the US prohibiting the Mayor of London from visiting the US!!

Then I saw clips of Ryan and Graham nobly expressing skepticism about their support for Trump.  I was appalled by McCain’s support – maybe Trump was right about him – I don’t think he can be all that intelligent, as he picked a complete dimwit for VP.  MaCain is up for reelection and is just worried about remaining a senator.  The consumate politician following the anti immigration sentiment of Arizona.   And then CNN played more clips with more bombastic rhetoric from Trump that was ___________, ____________ and ______________.

I think it is about time for me to start answering the ubiquitios question with “I am from Canada, eh?” “Ah, up in British Columbia – in Vancouver, eh”.

BTW, I find it somewhat disheartening – after spending an hour or two to post an entry – to never receive feedback or comments.  If you enjoyed a post, please respond with a comment.  Disagree?  I don’t give a rat’s ass.  Is there ANYTHING that you are curious about or have a position on?  If so, leave a comment.

Feedback/comments/email from friends and family are like a brief rainshower in the heat of solo travel in the desert – refreshing and sustaining sustinance for the journey forward.

Tomorrow (The Horror, The Horror) I board the cruise ship (tourists) for a four day/three night upriver cruise south to Aswan.  Will travel very light aboard the ship, with less than 15 pounds of belongings and half of that will be tech and electronics crap.  Update:  Someone just cancelled a room on the boat’s return to Luxor, so will now spend 5 nights on the boat and return by boat to Luxor.

Ma’a as-salaama,  ila-liqaa’.

From the web:

Farewells can vary depending on where you’re visiting, but two common ways to say goodbye to someone are ma’a as-salaama (goodbye) and ila-liqaa’ (until we meet again).

 

 

 

I am a 62 year old experienced solo traveler (not a tourist) and have spent approaching  a year traveling in 2nd and 3rd world countries.

I spent a over week at Venus in May 2016 and my stay was exceptional. The staff provided advice and help that saved me hundreds of dollars and more than offset the 3 star rating. Egypt can be challenging for independent, non package tour travel, but the staff at Venus helped me negotiate the Egyptian maze and bypass the touts – saving me time, money and frustration while ensuring my safety, security and enjoyment.

I was met at the train station by the owner, Abdoul, and he provided valuable advice and assistance in every aspect of my Luxor experience. Venus provides free transportation to and from the train station and around town and they arranged private tours with excellent guides and transport to the tourist sights at reasonable prices. They arranged non tourist experiences that allowed me to see and feel the heart and soul of the Egyptian people and the real Luxor. I experienced the real Egypt – not the packaged tour Egypt that tourists see sitting in a bus.

The free breakfast was healthy and filling. Dinner is available and is fresh and cheap. There was good a/c, hot water, cable tv, Wifi, a clean room, clean towels and bedding – all in a safe and secure location 10 meters from the entrance to the souk row. To avoid paying too much for something you want, ask the staff before buying anything, even a watermelon.

The best reason to stay at Venus is for the help and assistance. Do not be afraid to get to know the owner – he is warm, friendly and honest. I went to the owner’s home and had dinner, meeting his children and grandchildren. Invitations to dinner are frequent in Egypt – and often there are ulterior motives – like your money – but the offer from Abdoul was heartfelt and honest.

If you wish to escape the chaos of the streets of Luxor, go up the rooftop patio in the evening. There is a refrigerator in the dining room to keep you food cold and you can prepare your own meal in the large kitchen. And, Venus will also do your laundry for free!!

Kalhef, AKA Jimmy, also speaks excellent english and is very willing to help, as is Ali, who is learning english.

All in all, Venus was a wonderful experience and I would not hesitate to return.

Crossed the Nile and went to The Valley of the Kings on the west bank.   I was a tourist in the morning. Saw the tomb of King Tut and even stood face to face with him – at least his desiccated mummy – in his burial tomb. He was a child Pharaoh and died at 18. He was a little man.

It was hot today – 104F. Lots of tourists, tour busses with hoards of Japanese, many wearing fucking JACKETS!!! I was more amazed by the Japanese tourists wearing jackets and scarves than the burial tombs of the ancient Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings.

Paying much less and experiencing much more than the tourists on the mega busses, I went to several other magnificent tombs and temples in a private cab with a wonderfully pleasant and intelligent Arab female tour guide, all dressed in black, that in addition to explaining the historical Egyptian story, told me why Muslim women do not want their picture taken. (I kept thinking “ You should spend some time walking the red light district of Amsterdam and loosen up a little. Sex is not THAT big of a thing).

Tourist Meccas are not what I seek when I travel, but I have been to them and will continue to go to them. I travel; I am not a tourist. See some of my posts on my old blog at blogspot for the differences between tourists and travelers.

Later in the day I did more interesting, exciting and enjoyable things than spending $10.00 to stand in Tut’s tomb.

“Like what?”

I traveled through the bowels of Luxor, a city of a million people striving and surviving. I sat on the east bank of the Nile after sunset and drank a beer while Adoul smoked the hooka. We discussed life, children, old age and death.

“There are no pockets in your tunic” or – when you die, you are not taking anything along with you. Even everything the powerful Pharaohs thought they were taking to the afterlife has been plundered or is in a musuem. It is not with them now.

Accompanied Abdoul all over Luxor – to pick up his grand daughter at school then take her home, pick up new towels for the hotel, dropped off groceries at his daughter’s mid down home. Sat and talked with street people that wanted to practice English then bought ice cream for the little children that were staring at my long hair and speaking a funny language.

Bought beer – again.  Did I mention that it hot here?

Haggled for 2.5 yards of nice Egyptian cotton fabric – twice – finally paying USD $10.00 and $12.50 – then went to a tailor to get tailored shirts made for $4.00. Finalized the cruise to Aswan. Rode in a horse drawn carriage again – this time for an hour and we went smack dab down the middle of the people’s market. No tourists venturing here.  Will return to the market to take pics before leaving Luxor.

Between Abdoul and the carriage rides, I have been in the bowels of Luxor where tourists seldom venture. I sat alone in Abdou’s car, at night, on a dark, narrow dirt street while he ran errands and did business while families, old women, young boys and children wandered past the car. I shopped in local markets and bought nuts, fruits and snacks. Every time Abdoul has an errand to run around town, I ride along. Bought some polo shirts custom embroidered with pyramids and “ Egypt” under the pyramids.  Bought pepper cheese and some sunscreen and a yellow highlighter. Watched an alabaster carving demonstration. Read about where I have been.  Took a nap. Ate the soup, rice and salad thhat Abdoul made in the hotel kitchen. Bought a candy bar.

There is a solid police presence everywhere in Luxor – on the east bank and across the Nile on the west bank/The Valley of the Kings.  We were stopped twice at checkpoints and Abdoul’s license was checked by police toting automatic weapons.  It is illegal to take photos of police or police cars or police stations – just like the Chinese police in Tibet – but, oh, I wanted to sooooo bad.

I ate lunch with a police officer outside the Egyptian Musuem in Cairo earlier in the week as he performed a show and tell about his tight quarters automatic gun (German) after my questions.

I have met and talked with many people and am constantly invited to dinner. When I am asked “Where from?” I reply “America”.

I have never felt afraid, intimidated or scared. I am stared at constantly. I stare back and then run my fingers through my ponytail and smile.

I am constantly told that there are not many tourists and that everyone in Luxor prays daily that they will return so they can make a living.

From Wiki:

The Luxor massacre was the killing of 62 people, mostly tourists, on 17 November 1997, at Deir el-Bahri, an archaeological site and major tourist attraction across the Nile River from Luxor in Egypt.

It is thought to have been instigated by exiled leaders of Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya, an Egyptian Islamist organization, attempting to undermine the July 1997 “Nonviolence Initiative”, devastate the Egyptian economy[2] and provoke the government into repression that would strengthen support for anti-government forces.[3] However, the attack led to internal divisions among the militants, and resulted in the declaration of a ceasefire.[4] In June 2013, the group denied that it was involved in the massacre.[5]

Deir el-Bahri is one of Egypt’s top tourist attractions, notably for the spectacular mortuary temple of 18th-dynasty female pharaoh Hatshepsut known as “Djeser-Djeseru.”

In the mid-morning attack, six gunmen massacred 58 foreign nationals and four Egyptians.[6] The six assailants were armed with automatic firearms and knives, and disguised as members of the security forces. They descended on the Temple of Hatshepsut at around 08:45. They killed two armed guards at the site.[6] With the tourists trapped inside the temple, the killing went on systematically for 45 minutes, during which many bodies, especially of women, were mutilated with machetes. They used both guns and butcher knives.[6] A note praising Islam was found inside a disemboweled body.[7] The dead included a five-year-old British child and four Japanese couples on honeymoon.[8][9]
The attackers then hijacked a bus, but ran into a checkpoint of armed Egyptian tourist police and military forces. One of the terrorists was wounded in the shootout and the rest fled into the hills where their bodies were found in a cave, apparently having committed suicide together.[10]

One or more Al-Gama’a al-Islamiyya leaflets were reportedly found calling for the release of Omar Abdel-Rahman from U.S. prison,[11][12] stating that the attack had been carried out as a gesture to exiled IG leader Mustafa Hamza,[13] or declaring: “We shall take revenge for our brothers who have died on the gallows. The depths of the earth are better for us than the surface since we have seen our brothers squatting in their prisons, and our brothers and families tortured in their jails.” [14]

Tomorrow, I plan to visit the Egyptian countryside, Inshallah.

From wiki:
Inshallah (Arabic: إن شاء الله‎, ʾin shāʾa llāhu), also in sha Allah or insha’Allah, is Arabic for “God willing” or “if God wills”.[1] The phrase is used not only by Muslims, but also by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews.

In the Quran, Muslims are told that they should never say they will do a particular thing in the future without adding insha-Allah to the statement.[2] This usage of insha-Allah is from Islamic scripture, Surat Al Kahf (18):23-24: “And never say of anything, ‘I shall do such and such thing tomorrow. Except (with the saying): ‘If God wills!’ And remember your Lord when you forget…'” Muslim scholar Ibn Abbas stated that it is in fact obligatory for a Muslim to say insha-Allah when referring to something he or she intends to do in the future.

More travel adventure tomorrow, inshallaha.

Had a great day.

Lets try a few pics…

Tried repeatedly, but failed on the upload.

Spent the afternoon on the west bank of the Nile, at the home of the hotel owner, with his wife, kids, nieces, nephews and about a dozen grandkids.  We ate.  We played.   I had my ponytail braided.  I took pics.  He smoked the hooka and then napped while I laid and read one of my books about Thebes and pharohs.

I haggled in the souks and bought some red, green and black peppercorns.   Tried on a tunic.  Had a few beers and lots of laughs.  Paid a tout to take me to the liquor store, and can now have a beer in my room in the evening.

Talked with Moro several times and made plans for 4 nights partying with him and a friend that will be visiting Egypt from PDX.  We will meet up in CAI and go to Alexandra when I return to CAI 2 weeks.

Was driven through the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens and walked past the Temple of Luxor twice.  Will explore the tombs in both valleys over the next week.  Everything from Tut’s tomb is in the Egyptian Musuem (3000 items) except his mummy and sarcophygus, which is still inside the tomb.

Took the ferry across the Nile….. for $0.10.   Changed USD to Egyptian Pounds on the black market and received a 13% premium, without ATM fees or additional bank fees.  Wish I had lots more USD.

Had a leisurely Turkish coffee, just to get away from a tout that followed me for 4 blocks.  Touts are relentless and it is unusual if you can walk 15 feet without being approached for something, but they are just trying to feed their kids.  I do not mind.   50% of Egyptians live on $2.00 a day.

Took a great pic of a horse carriage curbside parked outside the McDonalds, then was agressively haggled by the carriage driver for $1.00 for taking a pic of his horse.  “No, no, I was taking a picture of McDonalds”.  Luckily (think a version of the traveler’s dance), hastily, I escaped and he did not follow very far since he would have had to leave his horse and carriage unattended.

Moro booked a flight from LUX to CAI for me in 2 weeks – 400 miles – for $38.00.

The 400 mile train ride from Cairo yesterday went smoothly.  Room is sufficient, typical 2nd/3rd world but adequately meets my needs – A/C, tv, private bath, double bed for $15.00.  Had a $2.50 pizza.  Took a horse carriage ride around town for 30 min for $2.00 with a $0.50 tip.

It was hot today – 107 – but will be hotter tomorrow –  114F, so will get an early start at 6:30 on the private guided tour of the Karnak temple complex.

Car horns are honking incessantly on the street below the dining room where I type.

From one of the books I bought yesterday:  Luxor, 400 miles south of Cairo is deemed the largest open-air museum in the world. On the site of the present day town of Luxor stood the ancient city that the Greeks called Thebes and which was described in Homer’s Iliad as “the city of a hundred gates”.  It reached its zenith in 1567 BC to 1085 BC. Thebes was the capital of an Egyptian empire that stretched from Palestine to Nubia for almost 500 years and at its peak the population reached almost 1 million.

Started getting info about a 3 day boat ride to Aswan and Upper Egypt.  Will most likely opt for the sailboat over the cruise ship.

Everything on the trip has been hassle free (by my standards) and everything has worked out well.  Egyptian hospitality has been unbelievable.  Have now had two meals in homes of ordinary people and have been invited many times. The carriage driver invied me for dinner tomorrow.  It is not my ka, it is Egyptian hospitality.

I enjoy Luxor much more than Giza – it is highly interactive, vibrant, historical, teeming with people.  It might be a little intimidating for the untraveled, but for me it is like a drug.

I want more.