Luxor4u

Travel & Tourism News 13/09/2017
Kebash Road inauguration anticipated beginning of 2018

The place: Kebash Road in Luxor, the event: a grand inauguration ceremony, the timing: the beginning of next year, attendees: world’s leading archaeologists, intellectuals, local and international media, and Pharaonic civilization fans.

The Minister of Antiquities Khaled al-Anany announced the inauguration of the Kebash Road which links the Karnak and Luxor temple complexes on Friday September 8 while inspecting the site of the project. The project is an attempt to return the Kebash Road to its former glory of about 5,000 years ago at a cost of LE240 million.

Karnak Road is the largest archaeological project in the Middle East.
With the inauguration of the Road, Luxor will become the largest open museum in the world.
The project experienced financial and administrative obstacles that caused its suspension for over a year and a half that were solved in coordination between Luxor governor and the ministries of Antiquities and Tourism.

Kebash Road will change the tourism map in Luxor and all of Egypt, Anany said on Friday.
It is the largest walkway for thousands of years of 2,700 meters long, where hundreds of famous archeological statues are lined up on its two sides, he added.

More than 5,000 years ago, Pharaonic King paved this road to walk their holy processions in the celebrations of the Opet festivals every year.
The king would lead the procession followed by senior officials, such as ministers, statesmen, and men of religion.
The procession included holy boats loaded with statues of the symbols of the Pharaonic religious beliefs. The public lined up on both sides of road, cheering and dancing, according to the minister.
Egyptian archeologist Mohamed Yehia Oweida said King Amenhotep the Third initiated the Kebash Road, in conjunction with the start of the construction of the Luxor Temple.

However, the most important contribution to the Road is attributed to King Nakhtenbo I, founder of the 30th Pharaonic Dynasty, the last of all Egypt’s Pharaonic dynasties, Oweida added.
Along the way, the passerby can enjoy 1,200 statues of sandstone. The statues are of two shapes: the first is for a lion’s body and the head of a human, and the second is for a ram.
The lion symbolized the sun which was greatly worshipped by Pharaohs, while the ram represented Khnum, one of the earliest Pharaonic deities believed to be the source of the Nile River, Oweida added.
The statues were surrounded by flower beds and water reservoirs for irrigation, while between each statue and another was a gap of four meters.

Queen Hatshepsut recorded on the walls of Karnak Temple that she had built seven compartments along this road, according to Oweida.

Hang on. I'll just close my eyes and stick a pin somewhere in my new 5 year diary. It stands as much a chance to be the correct date of this event as any other!

Careful Newcastle you could be accused of spreading false news.

This must be the p*** take of the year. No way will this be completed by 2020, never mind 2018. Three years ago, because they had left it so long without foot traffic, the newly installed foot path, made from those five inch thick sandstone sets, or whatever the stone was, had to be all taken up and re-set as a veritable jungle had sprouted from between the joints and it had turned into the wiggly wobbly way, but good for skateboards. The beginning of this year, this newer section was again taken up because of the same problems as the original section. The next newer section is already showing signs of the same damage so will have to be re-laid. The walls that have been clad in stone are now badly damaged, so need repairing for any ''looks good'' factor tourist wise. There still is a monumental amount of excavation works needed to complete the run, including the rear section of the church and the list just goes on. They wasted X number of Le repairing and repainting all the facing properties cream, just for a quick drive by by him in power. Now those frontages are looking just as bad as they first did before the make over. What they need is some one like myself that would be more than willing to show them how to get the job done for as little as a two year visa.

Well...f*ck you lot

I do my best to keep you abreast of what's happening in that "open museum sewer" you call home...spend my precious time combing the internet for not-to-be-missed events of national importance and what do I f*cking get.....??

A load of cynical twattery

Serves you all right if you miss it

Dusak wrote: What they need is some one like myself that would be more than willing to show them how to get the job done for as little as a two year visa.

Don't sell yourself short. It's Egypt! Land of the haggle and barter. I'm not suggesting you actually barter - goodness knows 'they' have probably taken already without exchange. However, a bit of haggling wouldn't go amiss. Start with demanding a full resident visa. Give yourself room to negotiate. That way you may be lucky and end up with the two year visa your're secretly hoping for.

newcastle wrote:Well...f*ck you lot

I do my best to keep you abreast of what's happening in that "open museum sewer" you call home...spend my precious time combing the internet for not-to-be-missed events of national importance and what do I f*cking get.....??

A load of cynical twattery

Serves you all right if you miss it

Seems we may have found I P Freely's Dad

Being that I mentioned our dear old friend Horus earlier today, I thought with the present day discussion, the memory of this subject post in it entirety, would be quite appropriate.

And once again they are taking slabs up to repair and replace sections of the walkway. New work has restarted yet again. Much has been done since this post began, but no way ready for the safe passage of paying hikers along its 1.something kilometer walk. 2022 may see it completed but I don't hold my breath. The church has been flattened for the coach parking and candy floss stands. The whole area would greatly benefit from a permanent thick fog.

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:01 am And once again they are taking slabs up to repair and replace sections of the walkway.

Thanks for your update, Dusak.

It was several years ago now, but I was in discussion with maybe Jane A on here, who said that they were going to run one of those 'noddy-trains' that are up in the King's Valley along this walkway. I have walked the full length of that walkway more times than I would like to admit, and there is no way such transport could be used.

In true Egyptian fashion, if they are paying out to encourage tourism, there will be an extra price to pay, so if like you say, they are placing the slabs, it will be for this very reason,......such a shame those original slabs are thousands of years old. They might as well take up the lot, and put down a load of Tarmac.

Like I wrote earlier this week tourism in Egypt has changed even in the past ten years, people these days would discover no enjoyment walking along this magical road. It's a bit like entering the King's Valley before the 'noddy-train' arrived, you walked up the hill in silence and full respect for what you was about to see.

A-Four wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 8:53 am

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:01 am And once again they are taking slabs up to repair and replace sections of the walkway.

Thanks for your update, Dusak.

It was several years ago now, but I was in discussion with maybe Jane A on here, who said that they were going to run one of those 'noddy-trains' that are up in the King's Valley along this walkway. I have walked the full length of that walkway more times than I would like to admit, and there is no way such transport could be used.

In true Egyptian fashion, if they are paying out to encourage tourism, there will be an extra price to pay, so if like you say, they are placing the slabs, it will be for this very reason,......such a shame those original slabs are thousands of years old. They might as well take up the lot, and put down a load of Tarmac.

Like I wrote earlier this week tourism in Egypt has changed even in the past ten years, people these days would discover no enjoyment walking along this magical road. It's a bit like entering the King's Valley before the 'noddy-train' arrived, you walked up the hill in silence and full respect for what you was about to see.

Just before the virus hit us you could walk the length from where it ended, at the back of Karnak temple, up to the dead end at the rear of Luxor temple for a walking ticket costing 75Le which you purchased at the karnak temple ticket office. Your ticket was checked at the first and second flyover bridge along the Avenue. I found that you got a far better view from the curbside from start to finish, and less hazardous under foot.

HEPZIBAH wrote: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:20 pm Hang on. I'll just close my eyes and stick a pin somewhere in my new 5 year diary. It stands as much a chance to be the correct date of this event as any other!

Wonder if I need a new 5 year diary.

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:01 am The church has been flattened for the coach parking and candy floss stands. The whole area would greatly benefit from a permanent thick fog.

Which church has been demolished? I can think of three in that area: the Coptic church, the Catholic church (and school), the Presbtyrian church. Think the latter is probably not close enough to the line, but the other two probably are.

HEPZIBAH wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:11 pm

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:01 am The church has been flattened for the coach parking and candy floss stands. The whole area would greatly benefit from a permanent thick fog.

Which church has been demolished? I can think of three in that area: the Coptic church, the Catholic church (and school), the Presbtyrian church. Think the latter is probably not close enough to the line, but the other two probably are.

Don't know the denomination but it was the right hand one just as you were about to take a swing to the right onto the corniche road. Which would make it the middle one lol. Bit brain dead today.

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 4:05 pm

HEPZIBAH wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:11 pm

Dusak wrote: Sun Sep 12, 2021 2:01 am The church has been flattened for the coach parking and candy floss stands. The whole area would greatly benefit from a permanent thick fog.

Which church has been demolished? I can think of three in that area: the Coptic church, the Catholic church (and school), the Presbtyrian church. Think the latter is probably not close enough to the line, but the other two probably are.

Don't know the denomination but it was the right hand one just as you were about to take a swing to the right onto the corniche road. Which would make it the middle one lol. Bit brain dead today.

That doesn't really help me as would normally walk to them from , let's say, the Nile, past the temple to my left/souk to my right, or the Emilio Hotel.

I'm guessing it is the Coptic one that has gone, which is a shame as I recall it being rather lovely inside, and had a huge and lively congregation, although that may have changed since the large Cathedral was built (which I never managed to visit and wish I had as doubt I'll have the opportunity again).

The demolished on has been replaced by a newly built one which is nearing completion, it's on the right hand side of the main drag leading into the city close to the roundabout with the water feature.

I'm still none the wiser. I can't visualise it at all. I guess if I ever revisit Luxor, I'll see for myself.

HEPZIBAH wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:32 am I'm still none the wiser. I can't visualise it at all. I guess if I ever revisit Luxor, I'll see for myself.

When I have time I will film both for you then send them to Keefey via messenger to put on here. I've tried many times to post photos and what have you but failed miserably.

Dusak wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 7:33 am

HEPZIBAH wrote: Mon Sep 13, 2021 6:32 am I'm still none the wiser. I can't visualise it at all. I guess if I ever revisit Luxor, I'll see for myself.

When I have time I will film both for you then send them to Keefey via messenger to put on here. I've tried many times to post photos and what have you but failed miserably.

Thank you.
The more I think about it the more I think it must be the Coptic church, but I'm interested to know the fact.

Hepzibah, I feel certain you mean the twin steeple Coptic Church known as St Mary Church, the only other I knew of was the Evangelical Church which was also near. The only other place I can think of was the Francescane School, further up the road, but feel certain you do not mean that.

For anyone who stayed at the Etap Hotel, as you came out of the hotel, turn right along the Corniche, then first right off the Corniche, directly at the bottom of that street is/was St Mary Church. I am sure there will be photos on line to help you.