Last day in Luxor. Very early on deck you can see the balloons rising over the Valley of the Kings on the east bank. Some make their rounds all the way over Luxor.

Balloons over Luxor

Behind the MS Nile Style lies the Sudan. Built about 1850 (says Mohammed) and still in service. Beautiful wooden superstructure. Agatha Christie is said to have sailed on it. A short walk in the morning. Nice promenade here in Luxor. Cuxhaven has nothing like that to offer.

Nile ship “Sudan”

In the morning a visit to the museum. It is not as crowded as the one in Cairo, but there are also much less exhibits. Some things from the tomb of Tut-Ench-Amun and a beautiful, unfortunately not completely preserved, wall painting from the time of Akhenaten. Photographing is as always forbidden. A guard approaches me – 20 LE tip and I take two photos (one of Sobek – sounds like from a German Tatort, but is the god with the crocodile head). In the next room again photograph a mummy, again 20 LE. The room is too dark, too bad, but doesn’t matter….

In the afternoon I go with Mohammed to the bazaar. I want to buy one or two Egyptian CDs. A street vendor offers all kinds of local music. Mohammed tells him to put one of the CDs in. The dealer opens the package. I look, burned. I say to both that I want originals. Mohammed says, there is nothing else here and the salesman affirms that everything is original. No matter, 60 LE and I have two CDs with me.

At 18 o’clock we go again to the Karnak Temple – to the Sound & Light Show. In the entrance area many people. The show is quite well done. From the entrance area to the tribunes the people with three intermediate stations are passed. At the stations there is a little lights-on and lights-off and the history of the Karnak Temple is told. On the tribune then still 45 minutes the rest. As I said, in principle well thought, but far too many people. Then rather limit the number of tickets. So many have nothing of it.

Towards the end, two Egyptians come with flashlights and want to lead some people out. Quickly it turns out that the show is not over yet. Again two tip hunters. Asshole, I think, and stop….

After dinner there is a little “juggler show”. First a “trick artist” and then a dervish. Great show, it is hard to describe, but you have to see it. The belly dancer at the end is boring.