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Egypt: Top Rated! Tips, Secrets for Luxor?


TLCOhio
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From Travel+Leisure magazine this month, they have this headline: Best Places to Travel in 2018with their highlighting of Egypt.

 

They featured these key details: "Political strife and economic woes have taken a toll on Egypt’s tourism industry, but travelers will soon have a new reason to visit. On the arid plains of Giza not far from the Great Pyramids, a modern monument is under construction that’s more than two decades and nearly $1 billion in the making. The Grand Egyptian Museum will showcase the finest treasures of the pharaohs — including the body and golden funeral mask of Tutankhamen — in a structure spanning nearly 650,000 square feet. The new museum will sport a Modernist design. The building will echo both the geography of the plateau on which it rests as well as the Pyramids themselves. When the museum partially opens in 2018, visitors in the immense atrium can soak in the majestic sight of both the Pyramid of Menkaure and the Great Pyramid of Khufu from a floor-to-ceiling glass wall.

 

In late January 2018, we will be doing our first visit to Southeast Asia. This will feature Hong Kong, Bangkok, Vietnam and Cambodia, including a seven-day Mekong River cruise, then Angkor Wat, Hanoi, Halong Bay and Hue/Danang. Then for late November, 2018, looking to do an Athens to Dubai, 20-day cruise with Oceania, including our first visits to the Holy Lands, Egypt, Middle East, etc. This will include as a top "star" for an overnight in Luxor. Love to hear any and all tips, suggestions, secrets, experiences, etc., for those who have visited here. Or, your upcoming plans to explore in this historic part of Egypt.

 

Full story at:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-places-to-travel-in-2018#nacujam-bay-croatia

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 191,565 views for this posting.

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My main tip is to put your hand in your pocket and pay the 1000 Egyptian pounds fee to go into King Seti’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Yes, it’s quite a lot of money (about £40/$53), but boy is it worth it! The paintings are amazing, with wonderful colours. We also paid 100 Egyptian pounds to see King Tutenkhamun’s tomb too. Although it’s only small it does have his mummified body, which is the only mummy left in the valley. These two were in addition to the three tombs included in your fee for the Valley of the Kings.

 

We went to the Light and Sound Show at Karnak Temple, which was $40 a head. I enjoyed it, but am not sure it was worth the money. My husband found it very boring. It’s certainly no substitute for a full guided tour of Karnak by day.

 

 

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My main tip is to put your hand in your pocket and pay the 1000 Egyptian pounds fee to go into King Seti’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Yes, it’s quite a lot of money (about £40/$53), but boy is it worth it! The paintings are amazing, with wonderful colours. We also paid 100 Egyptian pounds to see King Tutenkhamun’s tomb too. Although it’s only small it does have his mummified body, which is the only mummy left in the valley. These two were in addition to the three tombs included in your fee for the Valley of the Kings. We went to the Light and Sound Show at Karnak Temple, which was $40 a head. I enjoyed it, but am not sure it was worth the money. My husband found it very boring. It’s certainly no substitute for a full guided tour of Karnak by day.

 

Appreciate these great comments and this excellent follow-up from the helpful Host Grandma Cruising. Very good insights that I will copy and put into my trip file on my laptop computer. Keep it coming with such super sharing by others experienced from visiting these historic areas.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 221,427 views.

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

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We did an overnight off the ship this year when we docked in Safaga ... private with Ramses (Ramassides) and were very happy with the experience. http://2totravelrtw180.blogspot.com/2017/07/day-126-luxor-from-safaga-egypt.html ... this is the link to the first day's blog post ... the next post covers the second day. We did not pay the extra to go to Seti or any of the extra-pay tombs because we will be going back for a land/river cruise vacation in 2019 (fingers crossed) and will have more leisure time, plus (we hope) more comfortable temps for an extended visit.

 

We may have visited some of the other ports on your itinerary, so feel free to browse the archive ... or easier, click on the Itinerary Tab at the top and use the list to get to specific ports.

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We did an overnight off the ship this year when we docked in Safaga ... private with Ramses (Ramassides) and were very happy with the experience. http://2totravelrtw180.blogspot.com/2017/07/day-126-luxor-from-safaga-egypt.html ... this is the link to the first day's blog post ... the next post covers the second day. We did not pay the extra to go to Seti or any of the extra-pay tombs because we will be going back for a land/river cruise vacation in 2019 (fingers crossed) and will have more leisure time, plus (we hope) more comfortable temps for an extended visit.

We may have visited some of the other ports on your itinerary, so feel free to browse the archive ... or easier, click on the Itinerary Tab at the top and use the list to get to specific ports.

 

Appreciate this great post, link and follow-up. Excellent added background and helpful info. Will save and go back in March after we get back from our first trip to Southeast Asia. Departing in just two weeks. Keep it coming with such wonderful insights, ideas, tips, etc., for this special and interesting part of the world.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean adventure that started in Barbados, here is the link for that live/blog. Many visuals from this amazing river and Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, San Juan, etc.):

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 54,729 views for these postings.

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The best tip: get a guide or go on an organised tour. There is so much to see, and you cannot possibly read up on all the history. A good guide can navigate you through the busy spots, take you to a good realiable restaurant, and will be able to read the hieroglyphs. We are very much DIY-tourists, but the times we were in Egypt, we invested in a good tour(guide).

 

In the valley of the kings, you buy a ticket to go into a number of tombs ( 5 if I recall correctly) Not all tombs are open at the same time, since the delicate wall paintings get damaged from too many tourists breathing in the tombs. (If the tombs get too humid they need to dry out). We did not follow all the tourists into the busy tombs, but walked all the way to the back where hardly any other tourists ventured. It was great, we had those tombs almost to ourselves. We observed where the groups of Egyptian archeology students went, and followed them to a number of very beautiful tombs.

 

Be please advised there is a shopping mall next to the entrance, but once you get on the minicars to the actual valley, there is nothing there except the tombs. Make sure you stock up on water, sunscreen, and snacks, and go to the bathroom before you get on the minicar ride. I am diabetic, and had not counted on the fact that there was not even a refreshment stand or anything, and ended up eating everybody's sweets.... We were there in January last year (the coolest month), and it was still very very hot in the valley of the kings. Take a hat and plenty of drinking water! Wear comfortable slip-resistent shoes for the steps inside the tombs, and prepare to bend over a lot....

Our guide advised us against paying for Tut's tomb, since you basically pay for the name and not because the tomb is all that special....

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We did pay for Tut’s tomb - it’s only 100 EGP ( about £4) and you do see his mummy, which is the only mummy left in the valley. We also paid 1000 EGP (about £40) to see Seti’s tomb which was well worth it - amazing paintings.

 

But it is just a dead body, his beautiful gold coffin is in the national museum in Cairo. The design of the tomb is very plain, and said to be very similar to that of Ay.

We went into a number of tombs that were beautifully painted, carved and decorated - included in the normal price. The line for Seti's tomb was very long in the sweltering heat, we had read up beforehand and we did not think it worth THAT much extra money.

 

 

TLC, I just remembered where you should go: We went into this amazing tomb of Thutmosis III (KV34), all the way in the back. It is a long way up a lot of metal stairs, and then a long way down in the tomb. It is totally different than all the other tombs, since it almost only has beautiful delicate pen drawings and hardly any carvings. It is the only one of its kind, so I hope it is open when you are there. You can see pictures here:

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  • 5 weeks later...
My main tip is to put your hand in your pocket and pay the 1000 Egyptian pounds fee to go into King Seti’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Yes, it’s quite a lot of money (about £40/$53), but boy is it worth it! The paintings are amazing, with wonderful colours. We also paid 100 Egyptian pounds to see King Tutenkhamun’s tomb too. Although it’s only small it does have his mummified body, which is the only mummy left in the valley. These two were in addition to the three tombs included in your fee for the Valley of the Kings.

 

We went to the Light and Sound Show at Karnak Temple, which was $40 a head. I enjoyed it, but am not sure it was worth the money. My husband found it very boring. It’s certainly no substitute for a full guided tour of Karnak by day.

 

 

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Interesting, we saw both of these tombs in 1985 and no extra fee was involved.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just returned from a week long trip from Egypt(3 days in Luxor), and just to add to all the great advices above, never hand your ticket to anyone who ask for it once inside the Valley or any temples, some of them are guised like an employee but they are not(they're only after the tips). If you are planning to take photos inside the tomb,be sure to purchase the "Photo Pass" they are priced at 300 egp w/c is roughly around $17.. The entrance is 120 egp($7) and this allow you to visit 3 tombs with the exception of King Tut and Seti for which you have to pay extra. Make sure you have small notes, for washrooms and for the trolley ride to Hatchepsut's Temple.Hire a local reputable guide, I found this invaluable when dealing with the hassles and when there was 3 bus loads of tourist that came before us( We were able to skip the line).In my experience, he brought me to the most important area of the temples unknowngst to all the hordes of other tourist taking selfies. They also know the perfect spot to take the photos and they will explain/lecture you before hand (with illustrations) of all you are gonna see inside the tombs, guides are not allowed inside. If you have mobility issues, skip the Tomb of Merenptah as it has a steep incline/decline.

 

I underestimated Luxor when it came to what it has to offer, 1 week is not even enough for this great city.. Yes it is underprivileged, it is a dustbin, it is smelly, there's incessant hassling from vendors trying to sell you stuff. ...BUT, It is one of the best trips I've ever done in my life...Did I mentioned, it is Safe?

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I just returned from a week long trip from Egypt(3 days in Luxor), and just to add to all the great advices above, never hand your ticket to anyone who ask for it once inside the Valley or any temples, some of them are guised like an employee but they are not(they're only after the tips). If you are planning to take photos inside the tomb,be sure to purchase the "Photo Pass" they are priced at 300 egp w/c is roughly around $17.. The entrance is 120 egp($7) and this allow you to visit 3 tombs with the exception of King Tut and Seti for which you have to pay extra. Make sure you have small notes, for washrooms and for the trolley ride to Hatchepsut's Temple.Hire a local reputable guide, I found this invaluable when dealing with the hassles and when there was 3 bus loads of tourist that came before us( We were able to skip the line).In my experience, he brought me to the most important area of the temples unknowngst to all the hordes of other tourist taking selfies. They also know the perfect spot to take the photos and they will explain/lecture you before hand (with illustrations) of all you are gonna see inside the tombs, guides are not allowed inside. If you have mobility issues, skip the Tomb of Merenptah as it has a steep incline/decline.

 

I underestimated Luxor when it came to what it has to offer, 1 week is not even enough for this great city.. Yes it is underprivileged, it is a dustbin, it is smelly, there's incessant hassling from vendors trying to sell you stuff. ...BUT, It is one of the best trips I've ever done in my life...Did I mentioned, it is Safe?

Thank you for the very helpful tips. Egypt has been at the top of my list for years. I’ve just recently convinced my husband of its safety, so I appreciate the information. We’ll be there in November!

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Thank you for the very helpful tips. Egypt has been at the top of my list for years. I’ve just recently convinced my husband of its safety, so I appreciate the information. We’ll be there in November!

 

You’re welcome.. It is safe, there’s army and police everywhere not including undercovers. Approx. 1 mile to every tourists site(Pyramids, VoK etc..etc) and airports, there are checkpoints with bomb sniffing dogs. When you get to the entrance, again you have to go thru security( scanners,xrays and pat downs) the same applies to each and every hotels. In Cairo airport, i went thru security 2x(landside) 1(airside).

 

For the hasslers, this phrase worked for me sometimes: “La Shokran”. Don’t make eye contact, wear sunglasses if you will, give a little smile, nod your head and keep walking like you know what you’re doing and going. If you have no time for formalities, just pay them to go away 5 egp will do.

 

Sometimes the local guide will steer you to restaurant or shops where they will earn a commission, they will be expensive on egyptian standards.(still cheap for us tho). You can either go or let them know right off that you have already done your shopping. When it comes to food, since you do have to eat, tell them to bring you to this rooftop terrace resto right in front of the Luxor temple, they are certified at TA, and have breathtaking views of the Temple,Nile river and the Valley of the Kings....and you pay what the locals pay.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thank you for your comments, For our Egypt touring, We just signed up with Ramses AKA Ramasside Tours. they are well reviewed on cruise critic, TA and highly recommended by Leo Guided Tours Isreal.

 

I have just booked overnight tour from Safaga to Luxor, Abo Gazia has been exceptionally responsive.

 

Hope thisis helpful info. If anybody had used them before, welcome your feedback.

 

We did an overnight off the ship this year when we docked in Safaga ... private with Ramses (Ramassides) and were very happy with the experience. ... this is the link to the first day's blog post ... the next post covers the second day. We did not pay the extra to go to Seti or any of the extra-pay tombs because we will be going back for a land/river cruise vacation in 2019 (fingers crossed) and will have more leisure time, plus (we hope) more comfortable temps for an extended visit.

 

We may have visited some of the other ports on your itinerary, so feel free to browse the archive ... or easier, click on the Itinerary Tab at the top and use the list to get to specific ports.

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Thank you for your comments, For our Egypt touring, We just signed up with Ramses AKA Ramasside Tours. they are well reviewed on cruise critic, TA and highly recommended by Leo Guided Tours Isreal.

 

I have just booked overnight tour from Safaga to Luxor, Abo Gazia has been exceptionally responsive.

 

Hope thisis helpful info. If anybody had used them before, welcome your feedback.

 

I should note that there were quite a few other groups from our cruise who booked with Ramassides. The only negative I heard was that one group didn’t stop for a bathroom break. Not sure why that happened. In any event, it was the only negative we heard.

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Terry,

 

2018 is certainly an exciting travel year for you. If you have your renowned photo-commentary on SE Asia, I would love to have the reference as you were visiting some of my favorite cities. Saigon has become so sophticated since our first visit approximately 12years ago..love Hue...find Halong Bay very picturesque. Are they still cooking on the sidewalk in Hanoi?

 

You have been given much excellent information for Egypt. In Luxor we stayed overnight in a hotel so we were able to tour in the day and do the Sound and Light show at night. Yes, it's geared to tourists and not too special but when in .Rome....I have only 2 admonitions. It is dark and the ground is very uneven so wear comfy shoes and be careful as it is easy to fall. Also if a robed man stands next to you and wants his photo taken, he is seeking money.

 

Paula

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  • 2 months later...
Terry, 2018 is certainly an exciting travel year for you. If you have your renowned photo-commentary on SE Asia, I would love to have the reference as you were visiting some of my favorite cities. Saigon has become so sophticated since our first visit approximately 12years ago..love Hue...find Halong Bay very picturesque. Are they still cooking on the sidewalk in Hanoi? You have been given much excellent information for Egypt. In Luxor we stayed overnight in a hotel so we were able to tour in the day and do the Sound and Light show at night. Yes, it's geared to tourists and not too special but when in .Rome....I have only 2 admonitions. It is dark and the ground is very uneven so wear comfy shoes and be careful as it is easy to fall. Also if a robed man stands next to you and wants his photo taken, he is seeking money. Paula

 

Appreciate Paula's nice post and her kind follow-up. Yes, we super enjoyed Saigon, Hue, Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, etc. Below is the link to my live/blog from that adventure with lots and lots of visuals. I am sure there was live cooking on the streets in Hanoi, but I don't remember seeing that much of that activity. Those Hanoi streets are busy with so much happening. Hard to recall all of the details. Will re-check some of my pictures. Sorry for my delay in responding to your post.

 

On the Oceania CC Board, there is an active series of live posting and pictures highlighting Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, etc. Check it out at:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2627563&page=6

 

One of those posting, has a link for many pictures from her husband. Dave's full photo blog is at:

http://drdavebradley.blogspot.com/2018/05/may-14-luxor-valley-of-kings.htmlBelow are some of his visual samples.

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

SE Asia/Mekong River, Etc.! Just completed a Jan. 21-Feb. 20, 2018, first adventure through Southeast Asia with stops in Hong Kong and Bangkok, before traveling all over Vietnam and Cambodia. This includes seven days sailing on the Mekong River. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! See more at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2591474

 

From Luxor and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt, etc., here are some of Dave's photo samples. Looks amazing!!:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.15.06%20PM%201_zpsdk3xorws.jpg

 

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.15.32%20PM%202_zpsxjlqn2me.jpg

 

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.16.01%20PM%203_zpsq2jveuzw.jpg

 

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.17.32%20PM%204_zpshnrfcnby.jpg

 

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.18.42%20PM%205_zps1yd5p5hr.jpg

 

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-18%20at%2012.19.05%20PM%206_zpswkzcezlu.jpg

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We had a great tour in Luxor. Wow, so much to see! Our guide, Mohammed and his driver, Hamada from Ramses Tours were terrific. They considered our needs and met our desires. Mohammed’s knowledge base is vast and made each venue come alive.

They met us promptly at our cruise terminal in Safaga and took us for a day trip to Luxor ! Mohamed's knowlege was never ending and his English was excellent! He knew how to avoid crowds and we got to see everything we wanted and more! His driver knew the road well and tried to avoid the bumps as much as possible!

We will definitely be recommending Egypt to our friends, family and colleagues to share the same outstanding experience we had.

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We had a great tour in Luxor. Wow, so much to see! Our guide, Mohammed and his driver, Hamada from Ramses Tours were terrific. They considered our needs and met our desires. Mohammed’s knowledge base is vast and made each venue come alive. They met us promptly at our cruise terminal in Safaga and took us for a day trip to Luxor ! Mohamed's knowlege was never ending and his English was excellent! He knew how to avoid crowds and we got to see everything we wanted and more! His driver knew the road well and tried to avoid the bumps as much as possible!

We will definitely be recommending Egypt to our friends, family and colleagues to share the same outstanding experience we had.

 

Appreciate this nice sharing above from jjcruisenow. Very helpful. This past Wednesday morning, I had knee replacement surgery. Home on Thursday afternoon and progressing reasonably well with pain management, PT, walking, recovery, etc.

 

From the Sidney Morning Herald and other Fairfax newspapers in Australia this past week, they have this headline: Tourists return to Egypt with these highlights: For seven long years, the Great Pyramids of Giza stood forsaken, the pharaohs' tombs silent and the historic hotels abandoned after Cairo's 2011 Arab Spring, as political turmoil and security crises drove travellers from this land of antiquities. But it is no longer Death on the Nile.

 

For the Valley of the Kings that we will be able to experience, they note: "Egyptologists believe about 70 per cent of antiquities still lie hidden. Improvements in satellite imagery mean new discoveries occur regularly. A 3500-year-old tomb near Luxor's Valley of the Kings recently unearthed a cornucopia of sarcophagi, mummies and jewellery. This is ancient Thebes, Land of the Thrones, capital of the most powerful of kings, and rich beyond imagining. It possesses two-thirds of the ancient world's antiquities."

 

Lots of very good details/background, plus many pictures, in this article/profile. Very helpful and interesting!!

 

Full story at:

http://www.traveller.com.au/tourists-return-to-egypt-why-cairo-the-nile-and-great-pyramids-of-giza-are-back-on-the-travel-bucketlist-h10bxx

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Panama Canal? Completed Feb. 28-Mar. 15, 2017, Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco adventure through the Panama Canal with our first stops in Colombia, Central America and Mexico, plus added time in the great Golden Gate City. Lots of fun, interesting pictures!! Those visuals start on the second page, post #26. Now at 20,462 views. See more at:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2465580

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From the Wall Street Journal on-line today that will be in their weekend edition, they have this headline: A Nile Cruise With Retro-Glamour Appeal with these highlights: “ 'Old is good, Madame,' an Egyptian tourist told me, nodding vigorously. She’d stopped me among the ruins at Karnak, the monumental temple complex built 4,000 years ago during Egypt’s triumphant Middle Kingdom period.

 

Much of this story is about cruising on the Nile, but there are many details, ideas, background, etc., regarding the Luxor and Valley of the Kings areas. Very exciting to read on the key highlights from this historic area. This profile also notes: "The Luxor-Aswan passage of the Nile is home to the most archaeologically significant ruins of Ancient Egypt. Modern-day Luxor is the site of Thebes—the de facto religious capital during Egypt’s Middle and New Kingdoms (roughly 2000—1000 B.C.)."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-nile-cruise-with-retro-glamour-appeal-1527698294

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 233,239 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

For this Wall Street Journal article, below is one of their nice and interesting visuals used to illustrate this travel profile.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

Screen%20Shot%202018-05-31%20at%209.16.43%20AM_zpsw23co3h1.png

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's been nearly 20 years since our trip to Egypt, but we are very open to going again. It was so fabulous, our favorite trip ever.

 

It is good news to hear about the new museum; I assume it will replace the old one in Cairo? We loved our time in the old museum--very atmospheric and old school. I was actually quite shocked at how it seemed almost unchanged from what you might see in the early 1900's. Dark, rambling, echoey, dusty in places, kind of disorganized as to signage; we almost missed the Tut exhibit because it was not well advertised or in a prime location.

 

The old museum was very picturesque--like something from another time-- but I couldn't help wondering how safe it was for all those irreplaceable artifacts. Perhaps it has been updated, but at the time security for the displays seemed lax or non -existent. I mean, most things were in glass and wood cases that you could touch and lean over. Some items were in open display. Even Tut's treasures were almost like going to a small local museum in a small town. There also didn't seem to be much or any provision for climate control and keeping the exhibits in good shape.

 

So, wonderful to hear that a new, I'm assuming climate-controlled and secure facility is being built.

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Appreciate these great comments and follow-ups. Keep it coming. Great sharing!!

 

From the London/UK Times in February 2018, they have this headline: Now is the time to visit Egypt with these highlights: After recent troubles in the country, the home of the Sphinx is back on the tourist map. At Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, we stand breathless in King Tut’s tomb, with its mummy of the king who didn’t reach his 20th birthday, and marvel at all that treasure fitting into four tiny rooms, which for a good ten minutes we have entirely to ourselves. This lack of tourists has been a recurrent theme all over post-revolutionary Egypt. As we tour the tombs we marvel at the stunning decorations from the Book of the Dead, depicting the Egyptian baddies (headless bodies, upside-down people, snakes and baboons) and the goodies (the sun god, cobras, jackals) as the pharaoh journeys to the afterlife. Karnak Temple in Luxor is an extraordinary open-air museum featuring sanctuaries, obelisks, temples and kiosks dedicated to the sun god Amun-Re.

 

Love reading these details and this interesting background about these fascinating parts of Egypt.

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/now-is-the-time-to-visit-egypt-jht09rxhr

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and many pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 204,110 views for this posting.

 

Here is one of their pictures of Tutankhamun’s burial chamber in the Valley of the Kings featured with this newspaper article.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)

methode-times-prod-web-bin-d183554a-0b57-11e8-9ed2-93cf9d74a2fe_zps9gwqesrt.jpg

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I was blown away by the artwork in the tombs at the Valley of the Kings--even though I really love archaeology and Egyptian history, I had no idea how large some of the tombs were and the beauty of the art.

 

We did not go into Tut's tomb, just the 3 included with our tour.

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