Luxor - First Impressions

We got off the sleeper train at about 6 this morning and walked along a deserted and very dirty, garbage strewn road to the Nefertiti hotel. I think we took a back route through a poor area. Even though it was pretty early, there were some taxi drivers trying to vigorously offer us rides. We knew the walk to the hotel wasn’t very far and we really needed to stretch our legs, so we walked.

The first thing we did after getting to the hotel was go to the rooftop restaurant, that had a great view of the Nile, and have a coffee while watching the boats, the horse-drawn caleches, the dogs and the hot air balloons parade by in the early morning fog. There is definitely less traffic and horn blowing here compared to Cairo, but a lot more horses and caleches.

Once our room was ready, we tried unsuccessfully to have a little nap (too much coffee) and then went out for walk to the Luxor Temple along the Nile Corniche, or the promenade, on the East Bank of the Nile. This is the great temple built by Amunhotep and Ramses II. From the Luxor temple, we could see a very long line of small sphinxes, that lead to the Karnak temple which we will visit tomorrow.Read more