Luxor - Tourism Boomlet

[Major Thom]

I was reading through the posts on this subject and was about to say a ruff is something you put around your neck, but Hepzi put it in pictures, maybe not the same pictures I would have used but well pointed out. Ruffs and Picalies (Excuse Spelling) date back to Elizabeth the 1st Picaldily in London got its name because that was the heart of the Picalie industry for gentlemen and ladies in them days.

[newcastle]

You are probably thinking of Psoriasis Hepzi, as that is 'Ruff' skin, or as the better educated would say "Rough skin"
Always found the skill required by any artist to paint such a realistic ruff (as shown in your paintings) truly amazing.

They look like photos of the living bird to me. But then my eyesight isn't that sharp.

Incidentally, the female of the species, 'er on the left, all drab & brown. is called a 'reeve'.

So, in a sense, a ruff isn't at all a rough-looking bird

Spoiler

Trivia doesn't come much more useless

[carrie]

Frames the face and makes the neck look longer plus an easily identifiable statement about the wealth of the wearer, I guess.
Can you imagine the difficulties in eating first put your spoon in your soup then hold it out at arms length avoiding the ruff to bring it back to the mouth.

[newcastle]

Frames the face and makes the neck look longer plus an easily identifiable statement about the wealth of the wearer, I guess.
Can you imagine the difficulties in eating first put your spoon in your soup then hold it out at arms length avoiding the ruff to bring it back to the mouth.

But if you're a messy eater, or have a tendency to dribble, it saves a lot of washing!

[Horus]

But if you're a messy eater, or have a tendency to dribble, it saves a lot of washing!

And you could always just rotate it by a few degrees to display another clean bit

[Hafiz]

A-Four - hope you can take all this.

Back to my off topic, but not as off as bad breath and ruffles.

No I had no benefit of alcohol in Sudan. But I did need it. None in the country - not even in the UK Embassy or Hilton. However there were lots of press releases of the government pouring all the seized alcohol into the Nile. Ruthless examination of luggage for alcohol.

I considered the train you mentioned, bought a ticket and went to the station. Took one look at second class and decided I would take my chances with Air Suicide/Sudan.

The touristic charm of the country was enhanced by complete refusal of all permits to travel outside Khartoum and their quaint custom of removing the left hand of thieves - much apparent in the souk. The machine gun armed guards on the hotel added a frisson and reminded me daily that spies had been shot dead in the hotel a year or so earlier - probably in my bed room. On the positive the hotel - Acropole - was evidence that enterprising Greeks can create heaven in hell. Pity the rest of the country wasn't run by Greeks rather than trying to run the Greeks out. Currency controls were Marx Brothers and I was launched into the (locked - no one could find the key) central bank on someones back through an open window to change a couple of hundred US. There are other horror stories as well - one of which involves Air Suicide - but I will leave them to my nightmares.

Sudan and Zaire are the only countries that rattled me and I lost my nerve and ended up in a heap on my own. Should have coped better but lost it. If I had been able to get out of Khartoum to the west and north the country would probably have been great.

[crewmeal]

Is Sindbad's still going?

[carrie]

Yes still open but no alcohol.

[newcastle]

Yes still open but no alcohol.

Bloody hell

The only point of the place was a cheap beer......oh.....and a little something for the weekend

[crewmeal]

Anywhere decent to get a beer around the Sonesta?

[Bombay]

Anywhere decent to get a beer around the Sonesta?

Kings Head oh and A Taste Of India

[Major Thom]

Nothing wrong with a few food medals on your chest