Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt once known as the ancient city of Thebes during the era of the New Kingdom and the treasured city of the God Amun Re. Although some know it as a casino on the Las Vegas strip, Luxor is known through out the world as being the greatest open air museum and welcomes thousand of visitors annually. The ruins of the temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor sit in the modern city on the banks of the Nile. On the other side of the river is the west bank home to numerous monuments and tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
The importance of the city started as early as the 11th dynasty when a small town started to grow into a thriving metropolis. It became widely known for its high social status and luxury. This was accredited to it being the dwelling place of artists and religious figures bringing wisdom and political supremacy to the area.
Luxor is divided into two areas of interest. The east bank is the township itself and has many sites scattered about the city. One site being the Luxor Temple, which is a large temple complex founded in 1400 BC dedicated to the Theban deities of Amun, Mut and Chons. Then there is the Karnak Temple that has a vast conglomerate of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings. The Luxor museum is a must see which explains everything in the two major temples and has lovely views of the Nile river. The Mummification Museum also located on the east bank was created to give people a better understanding of the process and why mummification was so important in ancient times.
The second area is located on the other side of the Nile. Day tours to the west bank are readily available from your hotel or touts on the street. Do not hesitate to do your homework as cheap, easier, less hassle free ways can be taken if you do a little asking around. Never be fooled by the old adage, you get what you pay for, while in Egypt, as sometimes spending more money often brings more head aches. The Valley of the Kings is a valley scattered with tombs constructed for Kings and powerful nobles of the new Kingdom. The area has been a focus of exploration since the end of the 18th century and its tombs and burial sites continue to be a place of interest still to this day. The Valley of the Queens is the burial site for wives of Pharaohs’. The location is near the Valley of the Kings in a barren landscape chosen specifically for its isolation and proximity to the capital city of Thebes. The tombs in this valley were cut from the rock instead of the normal building of pyramids making the site very different from the Valley of the Kings. It is believed this was done because they learned the other tombs made it easier for grave robbers to intercept the riches buried along with the royal subjects. 
Although Luxor still experiences mass numbers of tourists the numbers are at a decline. The economic challenges that we face in the United States trickle down and eventually affect world populations. The area is extremely dependent on tourism and is definitely a site of great historical significance. It took me years to save enough money to visit this spot. I will admit willingly it was worth every penny. I’m an escapist, it is always nice to drop off your everyday world and land on some uninspected piece of property every now and again. If you are an escapist like me, I suggest living out your travel fantasies in the Ancient City of Thebes.
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