As I'm just back from a research tour to Luxor (disguised as holiday, or was it the other way around?), I will come with some articles from Luxor - an destination I should know after living here for nearly eight years.
Today? Quite a lot has happened, there is an Internet cafe on every corner where one before could not even make a phone call directly to the other side of the Nile. My friend Ibrahim have become the head of the inspectors of antiquities on the unbelievable west bank of Luxor, and Dr. Mohamed Nasser have moved as director for the antiquities of the west bank and sit now responsible for both the east and west bank monuments in Luxor.
Still underneath the changes there is a "rebirth" of "old Luxor", even old jokes have got the opportunity to be recycled. As the story of President Mubarak who came back from a visit to USA and told that he wanted "Mubarak" written on all doors in Egypt. "Yes, but why?" was the answer - and the President answered: "Look, in USA the President have his name on nearly all doors, why should not we?".
Don't get it?
Add the fact that the language in Egypt has no difference between "P" and "B" - and the first time the joke came was under President Bush, and today - who is USA's president but his son? Of course you all seen doors with "Bush" written on the handles (or was it "Push"?).
A story leading to another part that not has changed, the humour!
This is a fact far more important to know than "experts" telling page up and page down about how to dress or travel in Egypt. Whenever you have a problem, a driver who wants far to high payment or other - use humour!
Thirteen years ago I was to Egypt with a television and artist team, and we should visit the first rock temple in Egypt. The place Speos Artemidos was a bit out of any normal route and we needed donkeys to go there. Yes we found the donkeys, then the owners - and then a discussion.
My team fell into a discussion and there were soon loud arguments on both sides. Then I remembered my good time with Egyptian friends, so I went over to the donkey owners and told them I found the price very good and that they should not listen to the persons in my team. I explained that the only problem I had was that I had not planned to buy the donkeys, just wanted to rent them for a few hours. Then one of the donkey owners started to laugh, then the rest - and in the end we where a good bunch of new friends riding out in the desert.
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