LUXOR has been a tourist
mecca ever since Nile steamers began
calling in the nineteenth century to
view the remains of Thebes, ancient
Egypt's New Kingdom capital, and its
associated sites - the concentration
of relics in this area is
overwhelming. The town itself boasts
Luxor Temple , a graceful
ornament to its waterfront and
"downtown" quarter, while
just to the north is
Karnak
Temple , a stupendous complex
built over 1300 years. Across the
river are the amazing tombs and
mortuary temples of the
Theban
Necropolis , and as if this
wasn't enough, Luxor also serves as
a base for trips to Esna, Edfu,
Dendara and Abydos temples, up and
down the Nile Valley.
In a town where tourism
accounts for 85 percent of the
economy, it's hardly surprising that
you can't move without being
importuned to step inside a shop,
rent a caleche, or have your
shoes shined. Hassled and
overcharged at every turn, some
tourists react with fury and come to
detest Luxor. Keep your cool and
sense of humour; it's possible to
find genuine warmth here. Once you
get to know a few characters and
begin to understand the score, Luxor
seems like a funky soap opera with a
cast of thousands. Cool feluccca
guys and bazaar hustlers, nervous
rich tourists and piastre-pinching
backpackers - their dealings and
misunderstandings are as intriguing
as the monuments.
Most foreigners come between
October and February (especially
Christmas and New Year), when the climate
is cooler than you'd imagine, with
chilly nights and early mornings.
Around the end of March the
temperature shoots up 10ฐC, making
April the nicest time of the year to
visit, though the weather remains
agreeable until late May or early
June, after which the daytime heat
is oppressive till late October,
when the temperature plummets.
During the summer tourism is well
down, and the locals have time to
sleep by day and party at night.
