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On the 2 /9/09 My wife took me on our second Nile cruise she to relaxand I excepted the kind offer as long as I could take photos, it was awonderful break even though it was our second trip and my third. I didit a few years ago with paying guests on a dahabeya sail boat. the onein the photo has an engine and what I say is if I pay for a sail boat Iwant to sail (tranquility)


This blog is mainly photos of life along the Nile from Luxor To Aswan
photos of Comombo and Edfu temple are on the http://myegypttours.blogspot.com/
Birds and wildlife are on the http://egyptwildlife.blogspot.com/
others on http://nilelife.blogspot.com

All of these pump stations have been donated by the Chinese people

the Nile at most times is so calm & tranquil

another pump station

The Nile is so wide in some parts

A local ferry

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

my day trip  to El Quseir

The youngest member of our group,


an over turned boat in the shallow waters of the red sea,

police on beach patrol, the temperature? about 45c black is cool it seems. the one in the shirt is a secret policeman "shush"when it gets to May they will have white uniforms as it gets hot then!

No bikini's on this beach unless you are under 10.

The one day I decided to go to El Qusir half of Luxor must have done the same, but saying that it was A nice day out and the clarity of the water suprised me, and I am going back there for a week or two  just to relax,

I traveled on a 12 seat minibus it seems the hire of these is a regular thing but only if you are local and know the driver, the bus itself is owned by a company and as long as they get the days money and the driver is licensed to drive outside his local area its o.k., I, e. A proper driver’s license. as the check point police only want to see the license (No backsheesh)I was invited on the trip by Usefthe guy who is part tenant of the coffee shop downstairs of my flat, and as usual there is always A question mark when any of these Egyptians are nice to you, now I am getting used to them I can ask a specific question, and in between the lines I can work out the reasons, while waiting in Luxor for all the group to arrive I was taken to what I was told was a teacher friend of Usef, he was one of the people coming on the trip to" corsair"( its the way they pronounce El Quseir) his home was a bit sparse to say the least it seemed it was used as an after school private Arabic lesson room, 2 benches and a long table lots of books all "of koors" Arabic, he could not offer me chai as he said his gas was empty and the light in the passage had recently gone out, out where he did not say, his first question was, am I married, he then said I get married soon maybe 2 months, or 2 years. Now I knew what was coming next, and I was quite abrupt with him, and asked , do I have feluse (money) written on my forehead. No! He said you face is clean, good I said, but yours is not, and he promptly went to what I presume was the bathroom, coming back he said you make joke yes, I said no, but my face is clean, not for me I said , then I had to explain what I meant, I am not your bank as you people seem to think I may become, and buy you a wife in 2 months, where you will generously invite me to have a tea and a piece of cake that will cost me 6000 egp , today you are the maybe 20th person to ask me to your marriage usually its to a very sparse accommodation like this, but I have been caught once and not again, and of koors only some he understood until I said, Mafish feluse (no money)
We got on the bus at 3.30 everybody else knew what time the bus was leaving,  work it out for yourself why I was told 1, 0’clock, this guy really started to get up my nose he insisted on sitting next to me. And some of the things he asked was a bit stupid but such is their mentality,
One thing I keep out of is questions on the USA, first the propaganda here is very anti American, and all they are told is the yanks want the oil, but he kept pushing it, and I asked him how much money does Egypt get from the U S, none he said, where is Luxor getting its billions from to get it rebuilt, from the tax he said. What tax? Most of that goes to pay the massive police and army here, who pays for the roads, the new airports how many now? None he had any idea about, who paid for the new entrance museum to the valley of the Kings, China!, and the list goes on, all they know is the rubbish that is preached to them, he did not even know why the gulf war started, because the American want the oil. Bit expensive oil I said. Then he kept his mouth shut until we were on our way back,

We have a lovely day, will you come to my home for lunch on Saturday, not again I though.
It’s a bit awkward to refuse as they get insulted quite easily, and also they have a one track mind if it does not work the first time try again! Knowing I can use an excise not to go, I said yes. Will it be hot! of koors , he said, so we will have chai also, mumkin, then sleep came upon all I stayed awake to make sure the driver did not do the same.
And had to say a few words especially on the long run between the two checkpoints of Quseir and Qift. After that there is no sleep as there is a checkpoint every 5 kilometer this is the tourist route from Luxor to Denderah Quena and Hurgada,

The history of El Quseir

Al-Quseir, in Arabic translates as the “Smaller Version” of a place. Nevertheless, the position of the city once made it one of the major strategic ports of the Red Sea. It is located 85 kilometers south of Safaga and 140 kilometers south of Hurghada. The city was known as the White Harbor in the Ptolemaic times. Several civilizations during the past four thousand years have used this remote outpost on the Red Sea coast as a starting point to go exploring, expanding and trading with remote lands.The importance of Al- Quseir is due to the fact that it is located at the end of the shortest route from the Nile River to the Red Sea, and therefore it became one of Ancient Egypt's very earliest and most important ports. It was the route used in ancient times to transport goods to and from remote lands to Egypt and the Mediterranean.
Probably the most famous ancient expedition through Al- Quseir was the one deployed in 1493 BC by Queen Hatshepsut to the fabled land of Punt. It is recorded at Deir el-Bahari, her legendary temple on the West Bank of Luxor that contains a detailed report on the expedition. Punt was a very rich country which has been identified by many with current Ethiopia, and to this land Hatshepsut sent her general Senenmet to purchase refined goods such as myrrh, frankincense, ebony, ivory, and exotic animals.
When the Roman Emperors ruled Egypt, Myos Hormos, the Roman name for Al- Quseir, became the main gateway to India and East Africa. During the peak years of the Roman rule, around 20 AD, an average of 120 ships per year set out from Myos Hormos to India in order to bring luxury goods such as silk, spices, medicines, pearls to Egypt, while exporting wine, fine pottery, glass and precious metals. The remains of Myos Hormos are only eight kilometers north of present Al-Quseir, where one can see the ancient port structures and, scattered on the terrain, a myriad of Roman amphorae.
The wadi that links Al- Quseir with Qift on the Nile River contains more historical remains. The road is intersected by a series of other wadis, the most famous one being Wadi Hammamat. This was the site of the quarries of the bekheni stone, much appreciated in ancient times. In Wadi Hammamat some 200 hieroglyphic tablets adorn the cliffs, and more inscriptions are on the south side of the wadi, engraved in the ravine walls. Some are from 4,000 years ago, and depict the typical Nile reed boats. Along these roads the Romans built a series of watch towers and guesthouses at regular intervals, and some of them can still be seen nowadays.
The Ottoman era was another flourishing period in the history of Al- Quseir. The oldest part of town lies between the port and the Ottoman fortress of Sultan Selim, ruler of Egypt during the 16th century, who built an impressive fortress which speaks of a lively town of strategic importance. The Ottomans felt that it was a necessity to protect the city against invaders. Therefore they built a fortress as a military stronghold. Later on the port of Al Quseir was the main departing point for the pilgrims bound to Mecca, on the opposite shore of the Red Sea. The Islamic influence is found in the enchanting architecture of many buildings in town, with intricate wooden terraces and mashrabiyyas. More interesting sites are to be found in the surrounding area, such as the mines at Bir Umm Fawakir, the rock pictures at Wadi Russumat, and the vast Roman settlement at Mons Claudianus. The fortress of Al-Quseir, now restored, was built to protect once again the trade with India. The recently restored fort hosts an interesting Visitors' Center with displays of local history, archaeology and culture.
After the Ottoman Period, first Napoleon, and then the British Empire occupied it as a key port. The French used the fortress to cut off supplies coming from the Arabian peninsula to the Mameluke leaders.
Only the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869 led to a decay of the town. With the crossing to the Mediterranean made easier by the channel, Al- Quseir lost its prominent place as a link between the Occident and the Orient.
The phosphate mine that used to exist is closed now, with possible plans to convert it to a hotel management institute, and most of the residents have changed their activities from industrial or fishing to tourism. The narrow streets of the town has made it a perfect spot for the colored bazaars which have a Bedouin accent. The winter months are an ideal time to exploring these ancient historical sites, easily reachable by a taxi or via your travel agent. Hence, Al- Quseir's nascent tourist industry is a year-round affair. Today, the city remains a quiet resort with sandy beaches and coral reefs, which has come a long way from the major industrial town it once was, to become a wonderful destination for diving. It has also become an environmentally aware area. The regions prize attraction are well preserved, stunning coral reefs. In Al- Quseir, diving is restricted to a limited number of divers, thus reducing the stress on the underwater environment.
In fact, many of the hotels, such as the Movenpick, the Flamenco Beach Resort and the Utopia Beach Club, the Mangrove Bay Resort and the Fanadir, which all have diving centers, are working to keep Al- Quseir environmentally friendly, even training their staffs to think environmentally.
Furthermore, since Al- Quseir is not only a seaside resort, but one also of historical importance, local officials are trying to ensure the city's heritage is kept safe. Old buildings built in the classic French and British styles, with large terraces and wooden balconies, need to be protected from being sold and demolished. An association has been set up to accomplish these goals, so that Al-Quseir can retain its wonderful old essence while emerging as a first rate tourist destination.
So today, Al- Quseir is one of those actually unusual places in Egypt where one may go for some scuba diving in the Red Sea or spend a comfortable afternoon sunbathing on a pristine beach, and at the same time, visit historical sites located only a stone's throw away, not in the local holiday season,

If the tourist want to go from Luxor its almost 5 hours as they are only allowed to go the tourist route via hurgada,

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