Luxor4u

Wow!

http://www.cairoscene.com/ArtsAndCultur ... vilisation

Well looking at the 6 pictures offered & one was repeated twice I am not impressed.
One shot resembles a school room offering Chinese tat, another a poorly stocked jewellery counter....

There is a new series on the TV, about Egypt, this new project is well covered, including the construction. The program also shows of new discoveries in and between Luxor and Aswan. New tombs found and waiting to be opened, It even shows how the Aswan local's are digging into the floors of their houses to the acropolis below, looking for artifacts to sell and break their poverty
An excellent program for you history buffs. It also tells of the dramatic fall in tourists by as much as 90% in most places, due to the political and financial chaos.
The building in question has a dramatic staircase that leads to a great panoramic vista of the Pyramids.
The program is called Egypts Treasure Guardians it's on Nat Geo. HD tonight at 5pm GMT worth looking at if you can get it. That's the beauty of OSN

No need for OSN MT...it's available on YouTube :



It must have warmed the cockles of you heart to see a programme detailing Egypt's problems with antiquity theft.

Actually....it's an excellent Nat Geo production, Split between the ongoing work at the GEM construction site at Giza and new discoveries at Gebel el Silsila with only a brief reference to antiquity theft at Aswan.

Oh dear torn between hope that the tombs at silsila are something very important and a desire for the place not to become a tourism hot spot. One of my very favorite places on earth with a special kind of magic.
I felt cold just looking at the place again and I intend to return there very soon.

carrie wrote:Oh dear torn between hope that the tombs at silsila are something very important and a desire for the place not to become a tourism hot spot. One of my very favorite places on earth with a special kind of magic.
I felt cold just looking at the place again and I intend to return there very soon.

I wouldn't worry too much on that score Carrie...well, not in your lifetime

First of all, thanks newcastle for taking the time to post the video, for me it filled a very pleasant and interesting hour.

Having spent all my working life in the construction industry I can appreciate all the time, money,planning and effort, not to forget the shear logistics, in implementing a large project such as this one. I like the look of the projected finished build, large open spaces which will house many thousands of unseen items, which, I'm told will be the complete opposite to the old museum which could get quite packed and sticky when full of visitors. As to whether it will increase tourist visitors when fully open remains to be seen, I personally do not think so as peoples memories will still remember the last few years of terrorist incidents to persuade any significant increase in numbers coming over. I would prefer to see all Egyptians benefit from free admissions to this and all such tourist venues, with an increased entrance fee for the tourists. There are so many Egyptian people knowing so little about their own heritage and even a small charge of 30Le with all the sudden price rises will, I think, deter most from traveling to it.

The GEM certainly looks impressive....a world class museum.

They've got plenty of stuff to fill it.

Whether it'll be completed by May 2018......knowing Egypt - unlikely.

As for attracting tourists...well, I don't see people flocking to Egypt just to visit a museum, however impressive. But, as part of an overall strategy to reinvigorate the tourism sector...fine.

Much depends on the overall perception of Egypt, air fares etc etc. There are some encouraging signs that the worst may be over and I've seen some positive reports in the media.

carrie wrote:Oh dear torn between hope that the tombs at silsila are something very important and a desire for the place not to become a tourism hot spot. One of my very favorite places on earth with a special kind of magic.
I felt cold just looking at the place again and I intend to return there very soon.

Yes, me too Carrie. One of the most atmospheric sites I've ever visited, especially my favourite tomb looking out to the Nile. I could happily die sitting there.

Well they can dump me there when my time is up.