Egypt 7 - edited with photos
Feb 3, 2009 11:17:27 GMT
Post by bazfaz on Feb 3, 2009 11:17:27 GMT
(Egypt 7 – Feb 3)
My first post here on Any Port in a Storm.
The journey from Luxor to Aswan continued our saga on Egyptian rail travel. Our first train journey was three and a half hours late. Our second meant I stood for 4 out of 6 hours. The third yesterday had an element of farce.
We bought our tickets the day before at Luxor station for the 09.25 to Aswan. We arrived ten minutes early and the train from Cairo came in suspiciously on time. We found carriage 4 which was full. Then someone explained this was an earlier train running late. So we got off.
After another 15 minutes a train from Cairo arrived and half of Cairo university came out with their suitcases. We got on and had a completely empty carriage so there was no problem with getting people out of our reserved seats. Then an inspector came along and looked at our tickets. No, this was still the wrong train and the much delayed 9.25 still hadn't arrived. He was very keen for us to get off and wait for the train we had booked on. Mrs Faz threw a little wobbly and luckily the train began to move. So we stayed on. Eventually a more senior inspector arrived and after a discussion between these two officials we were allowed to stay in the empty carriage for the 3 hours to Aswan.
Aswan is much preferable to Luxor. It has the best corniche along the Nile in Egypt; also the best market which has had its street repaved and traffic kept out but is otherwise still the mass of stalls and little shops that one wants.
Getting a hotel was a problem because of the university/school holiday. Rooms are blockbooked and what is available has the prices jacked up. We took a room in the Memnon for 110 EP but the manager said it could only be for 2 nights. We weren't much enamoured of it so did a trawl of other hotels. The Keylany is much praised in guidebooks as a backpackers' mecca but the rooms were not only full but when one was available a few days later would be 118 EP - and no Nile view. The Hathor is on the Nile was full but the receptionist said to come back this morning. So we have done this, got a room for the next 3 nights for 90EP and are happy.
The view from our window is sublime - except for the ghastly Movenpick across the water on Elephantine island. It has a structure that is just like a grain elevator on the prairies or an airport control tower. Those Swiss owners should be ashamed.
Mrs Faz is much better but still being cautious about what she eats. We went to they Emy restaurant on the Nile bank. I enjoyed baba ganoush, a fish kebab, and a beer. She had onion soup and some of my rice. The spaghetti she ordered never came. Imagine my surprise when I called for the bill. The waiter muttered 65EP. I asked for a written bill. After a delay he produced one for 59EP - with no apology. Looking at it we discovered he had included the non-produced spaghetti. At first he was inclined to argue. Then he saw my I'll-fetch-the-tourist-police look and gave in.
Such a shame. I will not be ripped off and it caused a sour taste in our mouths.
But warm sun is shining and it is time to go out for lunch. All for now.
My first post here on Any Port in a Storm.
The journey from Luxor to Aswan continued our saga on Egyptian rail travel. Our first train journey was three and a half hours late. Our second meant I stood for 4 out of 6 hours. The third yesterday had an element of farce.
We bought our tickets the day before at Luxor station for the 09.25 to Aswan. We arrived ten minutes early and the train from Cairo came in suspiciously on time. We found carriage 4 which was full. Then someone explained this was an earlier train running late. So we got off.
After another 15 minutes a train from Cairo arrived and half of Cairo university came out with their suitcases. We got on and had a completely empty carriage so there was no problem with getting people out of our reserved seats. Then an inspector came along and looked at our tickets. No, this was still the wrong train and the much delayed 9.25 still hadn't arrived. He was very keen for us to get off and wait for the train we had booked on. Mrs Faz threw a little wobbly and luckily the train began to move. So we stayed on. Eventually a more senior inspector arrived and after a discussion between these two officials we were allowed to stay in the empty carriage for the 3 hours to Aswan.
Aswan is much preferable to Luxor. It has the best corniche along the Nile in Egypt; also the best market which has had its street repaved and traffic kept out but is otherwise still the mass of stalls and little shops that one wants.
Getting a hotel was a problem because of the university/school holiday. Rooms are blockbooked and what is available has the prices jacked up. We took a room in the Memnon for 110 EP but the manager said it could only be for 2 nights. We weren't much enamoured of it so did a trawl of other hotels. The Keylany is much praised in guidebooks as a backpackers' mecca but the rooms were not only full but when one was available a few days later would be 118 EP - and no Nile view. The Hathor is on the Nile was full but the receptionist said to come back this morning. So we have done this, got a room for the next 3 nights for 90EP and are happy.
The view from our window is sublime - except for the ghastly Movenpick across the water on Elephantine island. It has a structure that is just like a grain elevator on the prairies or an airport control tower. Those Swiss owners should be ashamed.
Mrs Faz is much better but still being cautious about what she eats. We went to they Emy restaurant on the Nile bank. I enjoyed baba ganoush, a fish kebab, and a beer. She had onion soup and some of my rice. The spaghetti she ordered never came. Imagine my surprise when I called for the bill. The waiter muttered 65EP. I asked for a written bill. After a delay he produced one for 59EP - with no apology. Looking at it we discovered he had included the non-produced spaghetti. At first he was inclined to argue. Then he saw my I'll-fetch-the-tourist-police look and gave in.
Such a shame. I will not be ripped off and it caused a sour taste in our mouths.
But warm sun is shining and it is time to go out for lunch. All for now.
