Seti 1, Valley of the Kings: this tomb is not yet open as stated in the LP guide. Restoration work is continuing at a very slow rate (two months only per year), and we were informed by an inspector in the Valley of the Kings that the work will probably take five to ten years.
Calvin & Chris Heal, UK
The name of the street on which the Turgoman bus station is located is not shari` al-gisr, as you say, but shari` shanan. That, at least, was the name on the street sign. The government is apparently very busy putting up street signs everywhere. They suddenly appear everywhere… they are blue, on blue posts, and have the Arabic name and usually a quite consistent English transcription. The same street signs appear in Alexandria, probably putting an end to the Alexandrian habit of using French “rue” instead of English “street”.
Joost Kremers, The Netherlands
The Luxor Sound and Light Show really is a disappointment. The plummy 1950s English accents that boom incongruously across these ancient ruins are not helped by a ham melodramatic delivery and a script that descends through maudlin sentimentality and inaccuracy into farcical nonsense. Most of what was said actually didn’t make sense, and when it did, it was wrong. I don’t want to be told “there are Egyptian obelisks in every capital of the world: Paris, Istanbul, London, New York…” or that the sun-god Akhen-Aten is one and the same with the god of the Moslems and the Christians.
From September 2000, the Sufi dancing at the Al-Ghouri will be stopped whilst the government does much-needed restoration work on the building. I’m not sure how long they’ll take.
Matt Wingett, UK
I beg anyone travelling to any part of Egypt NOT to take camel or horse rides or tours. The first and most important reason is that these poor animals are kept literally on the brink of starvation in order to keep them docile to inexperienced riders. Those that aren’t are very dangerous due to the beatings and very hard riding they endure. I have seen so many tourists and Egyptians have their horses literally drop from exhaustion and/or malnutrition, leaving their riders to walk back alone if there is no guide, the animal left to die. Anyone who takes a ride along the side and behind the pyramids will see dozens of dead horses and camels along the paths. Also, if you go behind the scenes at any of the stables you’ll see the horses covered with blood from ill-fitting saddles, their bones sticking out and their eyes sunken.
Kris & Brian, USA
[...] of the historical treasures and attractions are found, with the famous Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens being the final resting places ancient Egyptian royalty. You can check the availability of cheap [...]