Michael Tyler

Top Hotel Scams

2008-05-06T15:11:00.000+01:00

Here's some top 3 ways hotels will try and save/make money on you:

Laundry

Never do laundry in amounts through the hotel laundry, it will cost you an arm and a leg. The odd shirt or T-shirt, pair of pumps or whatever, save the rest for the launderrette.

Often hotels are reluctant to tell you where the nearest launderrette is or flatly refuse. This is because they make so much money on the people who pay $2 to wash a pair of socks.

Avoid.

Mini-bar

One way hotels save money it take the cooling elements OUT of the minibar, turn the fridge elements off, or just leave the lights working to save them that extra cash. You may have noticed this when you grab a nice warm beer or that tepid bottle of water.

It's not a weird co-incidence, hotels will do this on purpose. All very well, but when you're paying 5 stars, you expect the fridge to work and the drinks to be cold.

Sad little hotel scam.

Internet

This has got to be the biggest scam of the lot.

How much does it cost to connect to the Internet at home, $20-30 a month for unlimited connection?

Unless you're connecting from Tibuktoo through satellite uplink, you're getting that identical connection, multiplying that by say 10 guests paying $20 per day, that's $6,000 per month for that same connection.

Big money for the hotels, rip off for the common consumer.

Windows Live Writer - Blogging Software

2008-05-06T13:59:00.001+01:00

Installed this at the beginning of the trip, and, as promised I'd inform you about it usefulness how much I hated it, why you should buy it etc.

Windows Live Writer- for Blogger

You install the software and give it the URL for your blog.

Your Google ID and password. The wizard then goes off and takes an imprint of your blog and stylesheet.

Also included is the bits and pieces for formatting and reviewing without a connection, providing previews on WYSIWYG, always handy for previewing those images, tables, maps or videos.

This has been vital in that without a connection, usually you're limited to a Microsoft document and having to do the CSS styles, guess at previews of images tables, CSS conflicts all the rest of it, it's pretty much guesswork until you get online.

With the live writer, this trip, I've not had the normal pressure of finding good connections at every stop, the workload has been dished out in a regular fashion.

It's like a desktop publishing software for blogs. Save your documents and publish when you've got a better connection.

Advantages

The Live Writer has a couple of advantages over the Google platform alone.

I can't say whether I'd use it as much at home but on the road the answer to the Question: - Are Americans clever?

In this case has to be: Yes.

http://www.download.com/Windows-Live-Writer/3000-2068_4-10572482.html

Best and Worst - Hotels in Egypt

2008-05-05T07:46:00.001+01:00

Having travelled the length and width of Egypt roughly 7,000km, I feel I'm in a position to give information on what I found to be the best and the worst hotels in Egypt.

Best hotel in Egypt
Iberhotel - Luxor: $100 per night. View over the Nile. 10 minute walk into town, what more could you ask for?

Shot of the Iberhotel Luxor

Book Here:- Iberhotel Luxor

Worst hotel in Egypt
Hyatt - Cairo: $400 per night. Rude service. Domineering attitude. Made life difficult at every opportunity. A poor choice for any non-arab staying in Cairo.

Hyatt Cairo

Book Here:-

Religious sites in Egypt/Jordan/Israel

2008-05-05T06:32:00.000+01:00

I intend to keep this up to date; giving clear GPS fixes of the most important religious sites in Egypt.

Mount Sinai
Where Moses received the ten Commandments.

Located: 28.539 33.975

Monastery of St. Anthony
The oldest surviving monastery.

Located: 28.936 32.352

Towns of Sodom & Gomorrah
God's destruction upon early buggers.

View Larger Map

Dead Sea Scrolls
Testament by the Essenes to the Second Coming of Christ.

Located: 31.77369 35.2039

Church of the Nativity
Site of the Birth of Christ

Located: 31.70431 35.20736

Church of the Holy Sepulcher
Site of the death of Christ

Located: 31.77802 35.22980

Mark a Miracle

2008-05-04T18:50:00.001+01:00

Yes that's right, Mark a miracle.

I've seen this one before.

St. Helier 1999, the Total Solar Ecilpse. A true miracle, a perfect circle of pure blue sky appeared cutting through the clouds obscuring the eclipse from our view.

Anyone on Jersey that day can testify to the event.

Cloud or Trial?

This one looks almost as bombastic and almost as well timed. Amazing.

I'll let you make up your own minds.

Wow - Is it a Miracle!!

Mark a miracle, find it on the map!

Church of the Nativity - Bethlehem

2008-05-04T18:34:00.001+01:00

KML 31.70431 35.20736

Or Bet Lehem if you are catching a bus.

This is one of the most sacred cites for X-tians as it represents the spot where Jesus was brought into this world through the virgin Mary.

I travelled up here by taxi which cost 60Nsi.

There are no buses all the way and the taxi driver tells me it's violent compared with Jerusalem a 10 minute journey away.

History

Again, like the Church of the Sepulcher, this was built in the rule of Constantine.

The site demarks some caves on which the initial basilica was built and further expanded and embellished at the time of the crusades.

Again, like the Sepulcher, it is divided up and in generally poor condition.

Doesn't stop the tourists.

Downstairs you have a star demarking the actual site of Christ's birth, then you have a marble shelf right representing the manger where the child was situated.

It's all very interesting and touching, and after a while of reflection, I make my way upstairs.

The church is situated in the West Bank and is Palestinian.

You will need a passport if you want to travel here.

Eating out in Jerusalem

2008-05-04T11:47:00.000+01:00

Since there seems to be so little about this on the Internet, I'm going to introduce you to a well researched list along with exact locations of some of the finest, cheapest or most popular eateries in the city.

Beni's Fish Restaurant
1 Mesilat Yesharim, Jerusalem
Located in the Abu-Kosh district of town along with some other popular restaurants, Beni's serves fresh fish Kosher style.

There wasn't a massive selection on the menu and no starters. I had grayling, surrounded by humus, garlic pita, tadziki, boiled eggplant and french fries.

The fish is fresh, topped with paprika and coriander fresh from under the grill. Took about 20minutes in all.

A fish supper with a bottle of water and coffee came to 87 shekels or £11.

KML 31.78073 35.21427

View Larger Map

Armenian Tavern
79 Armenian Orthodox Patriarchal Rd, Old Town, Jerusalem

Listed by the Lonely Planet guide, I checked this Café because it's right near St. David's tower and the Jaffa Gate, making it an in-out job.

One of the best meals I've had was a veal in red wine sauce sauteed with shallots and mushrooms at this hotel in Dodge City when visiting the Rushmore Memorial. Just thought I'd let you know.

View Larger Map

Anyway, back to matters in hand, the Armenian Restaurant has a terrific waitress/owner you could visit just for her. But, the food is good also.

I had Vine leaves with mince and meal stuffing, served with a creamy sauce, pita breads and mushrooms. The rice and pita soaked up all the sauce and my plate was clean by the finish.

It's a nice restaurant to visit because of the authentic decor and prime location, wooden panelling and sepia photographs, historical, almost like a gallery in itself.

Stuffed vine leaves + 2 beers cost 75 Shekels or £9.

View Larger Map

KML 31.77544 35.22882

The Minaret - Lebanese

Located slightly outside the main walls, the Minaret is set slightly back from the road in a small arcade.

It serves authentic Lebanese salads, dishes and sweets. Obviously quite popular, there were a few people of different nationalities, English and Italian and American. Some dishes were sold out went I got there.

The food came quickly, I had a pita with olives and gherkins as a side starter. Every time I've eaten in Israel they've brought out this salad like a starter, be it humus and a few pita or fried eggplant, olives etc. until the main meal arrives.

I had a Sinai, which is ground lamb and meal combined in a large meatball with garlic, coriander in a tomato sauce.

Simple but effective.

Washed down with a Retzina the meal came to 70NSi or about £8.

Also had some Jelly Babies - 1NSi.

View Larger Map

KML 31.779 35.222

Shabbat

2008-05-03T14:16:00.001+01:00

Was going to visit the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Israel has other Ideas and is celebrating Shabbat which means everything, (even B&Q), closes down for the day. No buses, no nothing.

The streets are silent.

Nature is in recovery.

Jerusalem - Old City

2008-05-03T13:54:00.001+01:00

So much to see within the City Walls, it's an experience in itself.

Old City is built in a valley, made up of a series of walkways, divided to 4 quarters reflecting the religious persuasion of that sections inhabitants.

I've devoted my attention to visiting the three most important sites in Jerusalem Old City:-

Jews - The Wailing Wall [Part of the Holy Temple of David site of the Holy Holies]
Christians - The Church of the Sepulcher [Built on the site of the Crucifixion]
Muslims - The Dome of the Rock

Jews - The Wailing Wall or Western Wall

KML 31.77607 35.23377

Originally making up part of Temple one for David, this Western wall is all that remains of the structure after being sacked by Titus Caesar of the Roman Empire, leaving a small part of the temple wall to give camp to his troops.

It is said that God offered his protection to the Temple in Midrash saying it would never be destroyed for when water ran from between it's cracks, it symbolised the coming of the Messiah.

Jews approach the wall whilst bowing and kissing, some place hand written notes in the cracks. When they are finished bowing, kissing and praying they must back away still facing the structure.

This is tradition.

Western Wall - Wailing Wall

Christians - The Church of the Sepulcher

KML 31.77802 35.22980

Built on Golgotha site of the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ around 333 by Emperor Constantine and the Bishop Saint Macarius. The church was fully destroyed in 1009 Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah and Control of Jerusalem, and thereby the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, continued to change hands several times between the Fatimids and the Seljuk Turks (loyal to the Abbasid caliph in Baghdad) until the arrival of the Crusaders in 1099.

The church fell back under Muslim control after Saladin who assigned responsibility for it to two neighbouring Muslim families. The Joudeh were entrusted with the key, and the Nusseibeh, who had been the custodians of the church since the days of Caliph Omar in 637, retained the position of keeping the door. This arrangement has persisted into modern times. Twice each day, a Joudeh family member brings the key to the door, which is locked and unlocked by a Nusseibeh.

Status Quo

In 1555 the Franciscan monks completed a transformation and a power struggle broke out within the various Christian factions for overall control of the site.
Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, the Ethiopian Orthodox and the Syriac Orthodox all jockeyed for power and rights, resulted in common area's becoming a 'no mans land' where Status Quo reigned, no work is undertaken, and conflict, often violent, is regular.

Divided into different sections, you may want to take a guide, although the church still has impact without it and is graced with many thousands of visitors every day.

Church of the Holy Sepulcher

Inscription in the Triportico

The Edicule of the Holy Sepulcher

Pulpits - Rock of the Calvary

Golgotha - The Rock of Calvary - Site of the Death of Jesus

Muslims - Dome of the Rock

KML 31.77607 35.23377

This Golden Dome is only accessible by Muslims. Heavily guarded, you will find most of the hostility surrounds this structure and it's construction on one of the most holy sites of the Jews.

It is the oldest extant Islamic building in the world built in 691 on the spot where Mohammed is said to have ascended to heaven.

The dome is said to have been inspired by the other basilicas around the city, and initially built using 20,000 gold pieces "whose shine could not be witnessed by the bare eye".

Non-Muslims are not allowed into this section.

Dome of the Rock

These are the main sites, though there are many, many more.

You should spend a few days trying to discover them all.

Israel Museum

2008-05-01T19:27:00.001+01:00

KML 31.77369 35.2039

Located in West Jerusalem in amongst the government buildings, rose gardens and bird watching sanctuaries, the museum of Israel has a small number of exhibits of particular interest.

Airy breaking up

You could be forgiven for thinking you were in an ornamental gardens for there seems to be a certain pride here for all things green. but the gardens are light and airy breaking up the different sections of the museum.

The 'all in good time exhibition' - Art

An art exhibition drawn from private collections and national galleries documenting the 'all in good time' .
There are a number of works of art which have looked at different aspects of Israeli life, some videos which you can sit and watch on your own in quite auditoriums, large two story sculpture of Ethiopian Jews to the backdrop of various smaller works on canvas through different mediums and different countries.

Perhaps by selecting the best of Jewish art, a lot of the stuff is ethnic, culturally original and diverse making it easy to wander round without hurrying from piece to piece, perhaps why they called it the 'all in good time exhibition'.

Live Model of Jerusalem

Model of Jerusalem
A to scale model of the old city of Jerusalem with the important landmarks belie the cities ethnic divisions, Golgoroth the site of Jesus's execution and other bits and pieces like the Temple and battlements various pools, theatres, houses, stately buildings. Mostly Hellenistic built around the time of Herod.

For this part, you can get an audio guide. Handheld, this can give you some handy information backed up with a map free of charge.

The Dead Sea Scrolls

Probably one of the most important discoveries of the century, parts of dead sea scrolls were available in markets across Asia minor from the periods of the first crusades and before. The old testament is based on them.

The major period of interest was sparked in the discovery of a number of text attributed to the Essenes, documenting the Messianic prophecies of Isaiah, in a cave in 1947, said to be part of true and original scripts of which there were 1,000.

These are the only publicly available exhibits in existence.

The Isaiah Script and the Temple Scroll that lie here in the museum basically talk about:

The Children of the Light

The Children of the Dark

The Son of Truth or Righteousness

The Wicked Priest

The Man of Lies

These are excerpts from the original scripts of Isaiah -

"And, on the whole, from among those who profess to be Christians will rise up then false prophets, false apostles, impostors, mischief-makers, evil-doers, liars against each other, adulterers, fornicators, robbers, grasping, perjured, mendacious, hating each other. The shepherds will be like wolves; the priests will embrace falsehood; the monks will lust after the things of the world;"

"For great jealousy will prevail in the last days, for each will say what seems pleasing in his own eyes. And they will set aside the prophecies of the prophets, which were before me and also pay no attention to these my visions, in order to speak forth from the torrent of their heart."

Of 1,000 scripts found, those scripts that didn't fall into the hands of untraceable private dealers were governed by a 'Secrecy Rule' up until 1991, when Robert Eisenman and James Robinson published a number of documents followed by Dutch scientist Emanuel Tov laying bare 7 of the scrolls, after which the rule was scrapped and those scripts that are available are mostly published in part, or in the case of the Isaiah Script and the Temple Scroll, in full.

Plenty of links out there, use http://www.yahoo.com/

SO here I am..

2008-05-01T08:34:00.001+01:00

KML 31.78506 35.20276

In Israel, located at the CP for special rate. Took border crossing over the KHB or King Hussain Bridge. Got some border drawbacks, as usual I was stopped, for more than 6 hours this time.

I worked my way over the border by shuttle bus arriving at the Israeli side for about 11am, it must have been about 5.30pm by the time I passed through customs and only because the border control girl liked me.

Passed through Jordan, now in Israel real.

The next few days will be action packed as I visit all the top spots, cheap eateries and what not's. Jerusalem seems to have some real character, hopefully I'll be able to convey this with some good pictures and observations over the next few days.

Be kind to Strangers - The Tale of Sodom and Gomorrah

2008-04-29T17:31:00.001+01:00

Perhaps this is a story for Israeli Intelligence who striped me and swabbed my stuff for 6 hours on my first entry to Israel.

Background

The Tale of Sodom and Gomorrah is based on two towns of around the dead sea basin. Now no longer in existence.

It goes a little something like this..

Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.

—Jude 1:7

The inhabitants were especially cruel and unkind when strangers visited, if they were too short for their beds they would be stretched to fit. And if they were too long, their legs were shawn off.

As well as this, they had a particular jealous streak and sought to violate and destroy the looks of young boys subjecting them to sodomy, cruelty and violence onto the flesh to lessen their natural beauty.

A pretty cruel and jealous bunch, God, through the Jews, said he was going to destroy the villages unless they, Lot and his sons, could find ten good men.
Through days of searching, they found not 50, 40 or 30 but just one good man in the whole of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Don't do backwards

God instructed Lot to leave as he had done his bidding, he would be spared.

With his wife, they were instructed to leave the city, and never turn back.

Unfortunately, on the road away from the city, Lot's wife turned to view the fire and brimstone which was reigning down on the two cities bringing about their destruction.

God, in his wrath turned her to a pillar of salt.

Lot's Wife - http://flickr.com/photos/charlesfred/

Now this country is then so sadly burnt up, that nobody cares to come to it... It was of old a most happy land, both for the fruits it bore and the riches of its cities, although it be now all burnt up. It is related how for the impiety of its inhabitants, it was burnt by lightning; in consequence of which there are still the remainders of that divine fire; and the shadows of the five cities are still to be seen, as well as the ashes growing in their fruits, which fruits have a colour as if they were fit to be eaten: but if you pluck them with your hands, they will dissolve into smoke and ashes

—The Wars of the Jews, book 4, chapter 8.

The sites of Sodom and Gomorrah

Are slightly more difficult to locate than the background text.

You're going to need and Israeli visa and enter from the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge checkpoint

View Larger Map

I've marked the two sites on a map. I've not been able to visit today, but the story's a nice one.

Happy Easter from the Dead Sea!

2008-04-28T17:17:00.001+01:00

Here's a couple of pictures to remind you what I look like!

KML -1226ft 31.71971 35.5857

Petra - Crazy Camels

2008-04-27T09:51:00.001+01:00

Had good chance to have a look at these strange and amusing creatures.

I suppose the Arabs love their camels like the south Americans love their Alpaca, long neck, big ears, dopey yet amusing faces.

These two camels have stopped for a rest, one of them stands whilst the other sits.

Crazy Camels 1&2

One on the left spreads it's rear legs, [pictured].
As it struggles around in this stance, I wonder whether it has a version of mad camels disease. It's austere looking friend remains seated.

camel 1

Sitting camel has a regal look as it checks out passers by.

camel 2

No doubt these camels are friendly, but I don't get any closer as they are a bit smelly.

You will come across these camels on your travels, you can easily ride them, but take it easy with the crazy one is it might dump you off the back.

Map of Petra Site

2008-04-27T07:59:00.002+01:00

Here's a map of Petra.

If you are visiting the site, I suggest you print this map out. They didn't have any in English when I visited.

Map of Petra
1 Djin Blocks	10 Corinthian Tomb	19 Qasr Al-Bint	28 High Palace of Sacrifice
2 Obelisk Tomb	11 Palace Tomb	20 Unfinished Tomb	29 Lion Monument
3 Al-Siq	12 Sextus Florentinus Tomb	21 Al-Habees Museum	30 Garden Temple Complex
4 The Treasury	13 House of Dorotheos	22 Petra Archeological Museum	31 Triclinium
5 Street of Facades	14 The Nymphaeum	23 Lion Triclinium	32 Renaissance Tomb
6 The Theater	15 Colonnaded Street	24 Al-Deir - The Monastery	33 Broken Pediment Tomb
7 Aneisho Tomb	16 Byzantine Church	25 Turkmanian Tomb	34 Roman Soldier Tomb
8 Urn Tomb	17 Winged Lion Temple	26 Conway Tower	35 Snake Monument
9 Silk Tomb	18 The Arched Gate	27 Moghar Annassara	36 Crusader Fort

Main Sites

Here's the best of the main sites from Petra, Jordan.

You've got refreshments along the way, so don't worry too much about water.

Obelisk Tomb

Once 7 metres tall. Standing at the entrance caves to Al-siq.

Obelisk Tomb

AL-Siq

KML 30.32357 35.45672

Name for the channel running through the mountain. Used to carry irrigation pipes and there is evidence of the Nabateans building and harnessing water through a number of dams as you pass through.

Entrance to Al-siq

Al-siq

Al-Khazneh or 'the treasury'

Named the treasury as Bedouins believed there was ancient treasure buried in the urn's which decorate adornments.

Bedouin settlers have routinely taken pot-shots at trying to release the treasure they believed was within. Although that was not possible, the site is actually a tomb.

The 'treasury' Petra

Palace Tombs

A large number of tombs on the south-west face of the Siq mountain.

Probably the largest and most spectacular site in Petra when viewed from the opposite hill, the Palace Tombs are a tribute to the opulence of the nobles who built them.

Standing around 40-metres high they can be easily reached, and there are Bedouin stalls along the way to get refreshments, mint tea, sit down for five minutes.

Palace tombs

Outside palace tombs

Inside palace tombs

Colonnaded Street

KML 30.329 35.4491

Passing the Amphitheatre, you'll reach this the colonnaded street. On the left you have the remains of a Greco-roman style walkway leads from the Amphitheatre up to the site of the Temple, currently being excavated by Browns university.

On the right is the old river with a number of channels leading into it.

At the base of the Colonnaded Street you have the museums and restaurants.

Route to Crown Plaza buffet

If you want a cheap buffet, I recommend the Crown Plaza. KML

The Bedouins will try and sell you stuff. It's up to you what you buy.

Petra Jordan

2008-04-27T07:57:00.001+01:00

KML 30.321 35.463

Recently ascribed Wonder of the World status, Petra is a city carved entirely out of limestone rock.

The Nabateans who used to run camel trains from Egypt to India had their empire based here, once numbering over 30,000 inhabitants.

The city lay undiscovered up until the 1812 when Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, conned local Arabs into letting him into the sacred complex to visit the tomb of Aaron. Dressed as an Arab, he returned with news to the western world and the rest is history, as they say.

Now I've been to a lot of these wonders, I can say the best thing about this one is the weather, because it's built entirely below ground level, you can explore the complex fairly comfortably depending on how much time you've got.

I've got one day, so here's the main sites.

Petra Jordan

No Rocks for Mikey

2008-04-26T05:15:00.001+01:00

KML 30.304 35.46339

No rocks for me.

After some credit card overheating problems, I've decided to cut my loses and move on to the site of Petra, which is one of the main sites and named one of the 7 wonders of the world.

Currently stationed at the Marriott, Petra after a 3-4 hour dolmus trip costing 5JD Jordanian Dinars.

1JD = 0.75GBP So that works out pretty cheap, about £4.

Tomorrow I'll be exploring one of the most exciting sites in the middle east.

Marriott Petra Jordan

Jordan border crossing

2008-04-24T15:14:00.001+01:00

KML 29.533 34.9959

Am now in Aquaba Jordan after a slightly prolonged stay in Israel.

Border Problems

Got delayed which led to a late arrival at the Jordanian border, which is pretty close about 8KM from Egypt.

I was delayed and the border closed @ 8pm.

I had to wait till 6am the next morning on the benches outside the border crossing.

The border crossing itself was like something from the iron curtain; all landmine strips, watchtowers and dogs.

Made for a memorable crossing, got to wonder through Elat prime Israel resort, visit Herod's or the King's Resort a cultural head ducking for a Christian. The fact that the Jews celebrate this King who almost destroyed our King and Saviour as well as murdering a load of his own, innocent people in the process seems slightly alien, to say the least.

I'm sure many Christians would be outraged by the existence of a Herod's, and is really not something to celebrate. Still, we'll be back in Israel and we can delve into that deeper later.

Monkeys bar

Took this picture from outside the Monkeys bar Elat, on the promenade you can find top hotels, eateries, stalls with candy floss, designer goods, bits and pieces and lots of Jewish youths wandering around.

Monkeys bar - Elat, Israel

Aquaba

Have eventually reached Aquaba.

Have to arrange a tour for tomorrow, to a site know as Wadi-rum, a geo-wonderland explored by camel incorporating some spectacular rock formations in desert climate which should be fun. I'm into my rocks.

Hurghada to Sharm el Sheik

2008-04-22T18:43:00.001+01:00

Have spent the best part of today driving. Hurghada to Sharm el Sheik.

Gave some policemen a lift, thought they where flagging me down and they just jumped in.

Bye Bye Egypt

So that's my journey's over, pretty much.

Tomorrow I take a taxi to Taba to prepare for a crossing into pastures new!

Tune in for the next edition.

Hurghada - Diving on the Reef

2008-04-21T18:53:00.001+01:00

KML 27.1973 33.84475

To re-enforce my recently bourne skills, I've taken time out to come here to Hurghada Egypt's second resort after Sharm-el-Sheik.

I've paid €47 for a full days diving with equipment and £2.70 for lunch.

We dive two reefs, Moon Reef then Umm Gammar reef.

I witness some stunning fish and coral, but only manage one picture, of my dive buddy Iressa from Lebanon.

If you wish to check out diving at Hurghada, I can recommend the company, it's located at the Marriott Red Sea resort, which is a good resort.

Dive Buddy

Luxor - Valley of the Queens/Kings/East Bank

2008-04-20T21:24:00.001+01:00

So called because, surprisingly, all the statues are located in a valley.

It looks like the valley was created through a mixture of basalt/limestone erosion. The tour guide said it rains once every five years for about 20minutes, so any erosion here taking place because of the Nile or it's flood activities.

For either reason, limestone hilletts have formed in a way you might imagine of hobbiton (the Shire) except in rock. In these little hobbit holes are tombs of dead Kings and Queens from many centuries ago.

Cameras are not allowed.

Hatsheput - Valley of the Queens

KML 25.737 32.608

Dressed as a man for purposes of retaining the throne in co-horts with political powers in Egypt at the time who suggested that this would prolong her stay in power.

She took advise, and stayed on the throne for 22 years. Eventually her son Tut-Moses the third destroyed most of her temples and murdered her and ditched her body in the desert, although she does have one of the most impressive tombs on the East bank pictured below.

Temple Hatsheput

Valley of the Kings

62 separate tomb discoveries where made here over time.

The ticket permits me to just 4. Rameses the II Rameses the IV and Tut-ankamun.

The tombs tunnel deep into the ground, those of Rameses the IV going down to 30 metres. It's hot down there!

As I say, no pictures allowed.

This picture below gives some illustration to the colours/styles used in the tombs.

Wall painting - temple Hatsheput

Valley of the Nobles

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The valley of the Nobles is slightly separated from the valley of the Kings amidst the carved Quartz workshops that litter the area.

The nobles are slightly different in that they explain how the nobles aspired to a life of plenty, represented by field of crops, fruit and animals, plenty of water, papyrus and other symbols which might make a Egyptian happy.

The tombs are smaller, as might befit a noble. Not as large as a high priest like the one used to bury Tut-ankamun.

Again, no photos. But the guys at the gate try to scam money out of you for extra photos, on the sly.

I tipped one guy for a wafter, but when people ask you to break the rules, things have a tendency of coming back to you.

If you're going to break the rules, you should do so on your on steam, not because someone invites you to, so I always leave 'secret' or 'special' deals for some other mug.

Valley of the nobles

Tours in Luxor

2008-04-19T22:14:00.001+01:00

If going to learn ANYTHING from the temples @ Luxor the West or East bank, again, you're going to need to book a TOUR.

If you're a single this means, you'll have to visit THOMAS COOK, otherwise, take your pick. The other travel agents deal with 2 people and upwards.

I paid the following for tours with THOMAS COOK in Luxor:-

West Bank. 300ep - £30
East Bank. 225ep - £23

East Bank

The Nile runs north to south. Tours are separated into East and West bank.

After, wandering ruins, returned and booked tour.

This included:-

The temple of Karnak
The temple of Luxor

Both were built over a course of years, thousands of years, the majority of the action taking place 1,300 BC, when they built a harbour which could bring building materials directly.

The temples are decorated with hieroglyphics visible only to nobility and Kings or high priests who conducted daily rituals.
This kept the power focused at the top of the structure.

They say that the success of Egypt is down to the riddle of 'The Riddle of Sphinx' - Intelligence with power.

I'd advocate a certain amount comes from the sharing of knowledge.

You can find details of pretty much everything on these walls including booty from Tut-Moses III forays into Israel, rituals and ceremonies, to details of the kings their godly allegiances. It's all recorded in thousands of hieroglyphics.

Karnak

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The ruins at Karnak are broken into many chambers, each King adding his own section.

It would be safe to say Karnak is the more impressive of the two ruins. Here's a couple of shots to give some identity to the place.

Karnak - Temple of a Million Years

Early Explorer - John Gordon @ Karnak

Russians at Karnak

If you want to take photos the best times are around mid day, (when the tours have gone), or at the sound and light festival when the uplights can provide a bit of contrast.

Luxor

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Or Thebes as it was known. A smaller set of ruins. Impressive with tall columns depicting scenes from the banks of the Nile.

By the time I reach this, I am deep in conversation with some amateur historians about what had made the Egyptian structure so successful. The main reason for their downfall was they spent to much money worshiping, the gods, themselves and whatnot.
We both agreed that 3,000 years was a good run.

The Romans have built a little temple at the edge of the original ruins. Dedicated to Christianity, it seems completely out of place in amongst the hieroglyphics.

Luxor - Karnak Sound and Light Show

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Not to be mist, this captures around and hour just after 6.

Tour

In English, a narration is boomed out from speakers as you are guided around the ancient ruins at Karnak.

Spooky lightshow

Coloured lights Illuminate the various columns, hieroglyphics, plus spooky music adds atmosphere to help describe what it was that made Thebes (Luxor) the great and successful beating heart of the nation.

It's not to heavy, more honest than a BBC documentary, brings you back to the days of Carter and the good old British Empire. (Horahh for Blighty!).

The cost was low @ 75EP.

Luxor Museum

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After Cairo, I was pleased that this was a museum in a traditional sense, in that you might find things of interest and read the little cards they left out.

The museum was encapsulated in three levels, with an introductory video talking about the Egyptian Golden era.

The Golden Era
Spanning from 3400 BC to 39AD.

During this period, Egyptians who had once lived near to the Nile were forced, by climate change, to move nearer the flood plains and formed the first communities. Initially farming, then centres of trading, particularly around Buto in the North.

The development of Writing, allowed passing of ideas or knowledge through hieroglyphics spreading the advancement of technology;
Technology:- Long Bows, Chariots, Calendar, Masonry, Construction, Planning, Specialisation of Labour to mention a few..

A nation united

Through military conquest in upper Egypt, the Hyksos tribe were forced from the delta areas around Giza. Whilst in the south the Nubian tribes were defeated during the reign of Mentuhotep and Amenhotep, who, (latterly), was a particularly fierce and renowned warrior king.

Eventually two kingdoms of north and south Nile were consolidated leading to 3450 years of dominance creating a civilisation to be envied by the world.

The Museum

Goes some way to explaining the customs and warfare, particularly.

Luxor

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It is 13hr 514 mile drive to Luxor, during which I only witness two crashes, not bad by North African standards.

Iberhotel Luxor

Am now stationed at the Iberhotel, by far the cheapest hotel I've stayed in so far at about £50 per night.

The room directly overlooks the Nile.

I feel fairly exhausted.

Nile view