| Page Views: 1,677 Last Visit to Luxor: May, 2007 | Touts outshine Tut by Tijavi - last update: Jun 8, 2007 |
364 days a year | Obelisk and statue of Ramses II, Luxor Temple |
Every year on 4th November, Luxor celebrates the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb, in 1922, miraculously intact and safe from the rapacious hands of tomb raiders (except for two cases of minor theft).
Overnight, Tutankhamun, a minor pharaoh, was elevated to one of ancient Egypt's greatest - not because of his historical significance (after all, he ruled for less than a decade), but because of what the discovery could do to Luxor's tourism potential. Since then, this potential has been exploited and corrupted to the max.
Except for that one day where Tut takes centerstage, it's the touts that rule supreme for the rest of the year. There is no way you could escape them - they are everywhere and ever annoying. Caleche? Papyrus? Felucca? Baksheesh! Walking around Luxor is very stressful as you dodge touts and wrangle with them (they could get physical sometimes, without respect for others' personal spaces, believe me). In shops and stores, you have to haggle for everything - from fake papyrus souvenirs to bottled water. Their methods are crude, their behavior, deplorably rude.
This is very unfortunate since Luxor is bursting with amazing ancient monuments and is a must-see for history junkies and pharaonic devotees (or even just the plain curious). Perhaps the best way to deal with it is to get there fast, visit the monuments and get out.
Quickly. |
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| Pros: | "Bursting with amazing ancient monuments" | | Cons: | "A place where one's patience is tested to the extreme." | | In A Nutshell: | "Get there fast, see the monuments, and get out. Quickly." |
Tijavi's Luxor Travel Tips
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 Comments for Tijavi about Luxor | | | | |
Andrew_W_K Fri Jun 12, 2009 15:07 UTC
I'm going to Luxor next week. I hope my method of tout avoiding works but reading your pages I rather fear it won't (iPod, sunglasses and purposeful stride). You have the best Egypt pages I've seen on VT. | omidamini Sun Jun 7, 2009 09:02 UTC
Thanks for good information . | TheLongTone Sat Nov 17, 2007 11:13 UTC
Greetings from the cold and damp! Must get some desert in soon. But a long way from Luxor, I think! | toonsarah Tue Sep 25, 2007 15:56 UTC
The others who've commented are spot on - fantastic photos and really thorough and helpful tips. But I too must have been lucky as I had no real problems here with touts or scroungers - or maybe things have changed since my late 80s visit? |
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