Convoy to Luxor

From the Red Sea town of Safaga to Luxor on the Nile river.

Tourism in Egypt has been decimated since the 2011 revolution. Media reports of social unrest coupled with western travel warnings have kept travelers away from most of the nation's famous destinations. As a result, revenues from ancient Egyptian monuments such as the pyramids have fallen by 95%. 

However, our Middle East trip on Windstar has been remarkably well run and very safe.

There are check points, like the one seen here, on every highway.

The watch towers are everywhere.

Security is very important here. No doubt because of the Egyptian government's efforts to control the wacko Muslim extremists.

There are local security guards at each crossroad.

Our 4 hour bus ride from the Red Sea to Luxor on the river Nile was guarded by these guys in body armor with M16's and side arms.

Our security detail trailed the bus caravan.  2 police cars, 2 pickup trucks with 3 armed guards each and an armed guard in each bus. We also had a spare bus in case of a break-down.

The Egyptian People.  
The culture and tradition of Egypt is like a melting pot with multiple cultures and ethnic traditions.

This new attitude is being displayed in Egyptians' friendly behavior toward the foreigners and tourists. 



















If asked, people of Egypt will always share their service and enthusiasm with the people whom hardly they know. 

Some people know how to use their head.>>

In Egypt, besides it's excellent travel attractions and cultural ambiance, the smiling faces of the locales are an added charm. 

Along the way, we saw numerous Bedouin camps. 

The Egyptian government built housing for these nomads, but they continue to live their tents. They use the houses to shelters their animals.

 Farming is the primary occupation for people living along the Nile. They use a lot of donkey carts.

Here's a couple of guys that got take-out chicken for lunch.  

  

  The sugar cane train.

Sugar cane is the main sugar crop in upper Egypt. About 90 percent of the yield is used for sugar extraction. Sugar beets also grow in large areas in the Nile delta, and contributes to the sugar industry in Egypt.

 View of the Nile from our hotel.

  River front in downtown Luxor.

 Don't drink the water? Yikes, don't swim in the water !

 

Trimming the palm trees is no small task.

Until next time....Bye, Bye.