Luxor holidays - travel guide - lifestyle

Shopping

You don't really come to Luxor for the shopping, although with such an profusion of historical sights to see, the souvenir market is bursting with trinkets and charms to take back home with you. Take time to visit the bazaar where Egyptian handicrafts and carpets are for sale. Marvel as brass and copper are hammered into trays, coffee sets and samovars. Egyptian cotton is among the finest in the world with its long fibres and smooth finish, is used to make 'gallabiyas' - those long, flowing robes sold for men and women. Shirt and dressmakers are ready to provide you with custom-made cotton clothing in next to no time. Jewellery can be striking, whether it's based on old designs or modern. It's good value, too, if you know how to choose wisely. Superb workmanship goes into gold and silver pieces set with precious or semi-precious stones, you can take your pick from pharaonic styles inspired by King Tutankhamun's treasure, or have your name set in hieroglyphs in a cartouche. The admirable woodwork includes 'mashrabiya', the delicate lattices through which Muslim women used to dare a timorous look at the world. Marquetry objects are remarkably designed and executed, choose perhaps a chess board or cedar or sandalwood box skilfully inlaid with bits of ivory, mother-of-pearl and ebony. Leather goods such as handbags are good buys too with satchels and wallets making interesting buys - but be sure to examine each article carefully for flaws.

Cuisine

Luxor has a range of restaurants and cafes catering to western tastes, as it is a city used to tourism. Make sure you don't to go away without tasting some of the local dishes. It's fascinating to think that as a modern-day visitor to Egypt you might be eating some of the same dishes the pharaohs did. Recent history has also had a culinary impact, with Italian, Turkish, French and English influences all in evidence. To whet your appetite, try 'molokhia', a soup containing leafy green vegetables, garlic, pepper and coriander, usually eaten with rice. 'Fool' is a thick and spicy stew of beans flavoured with tomatoes, finished off with a squirt of olive oil and lime juice and some piquant 'taamia' vegetable paste. Other treats include 'Turshi', spicy pickled vegetables and 'araq inab', stuffed vine leaves, these also show up frequently as starters. The flat bread is perfect for scooping up mouthfuls of 'leben zabadi', yoghurt, or there's 'tahina' a sesame seed puree, sometimes flavoured with mint or tangy variant 'baba ganoug' smooth puree of baked aubergine, lemon and garlic. Kebabs, succulent chunks of lamb or mutton coated in spices and threaded on a skewer, are barbecued, as are 'kofta', balls of spiced, minced lamb. Alternatively why not try 'shwarma' which is the Egyptian lamb equivalent of the Turkish doner kebab: layers of succulent meat stacked on a vertical spit are shaved off as cooked. Tasty meat specialities are quail or pigeon, simply grilled or stuffed and roasted. To draw to a close, the cheeses may be too salty for your taste, but the fruit, including fresh red, yellow, black or brown dates, is scrumptious, or try 'baklava', the layered super-sweet pastry stuffed with nuts and honey that is famous throughout the Middle East, or its variant 'atayeef' filled with cheese. Don't pass by 'ommu-'ali' it's a yummy dessert of rice, milk, almonds, raisins and coconut. Make sure you try Egypt's traditional mint tea and 'karkaday' a refreshing drink made from hibiscus flowers.

Entertainment

Luxor is a city which is not renowned for its night-life, as tourists visit for its vibrant culture, symbolic history and time-defying sights rather than the sounds. Nevertheless, as well as good restaurants there are bars to cater for western tastes and live music including belly dancing shows and cabarets which are sure to entertain. Entertainment is also available in some hotels, and if you're craving magnificent Vegas entertainment, Casino shows will blow you away! For a truly memorable night out, dine in a floating restaurant on the Nile, visit the city's popular casinos or sample a traditional 'shisha' at a traditional coffee shop. If the sound of an exotic barbecue appeals to you, you can often find these held along the banks of the Nile.