Luxor4u

Free entry to museums, archaeological sites on June 30

Mon, 27/06/2016 - 17:05
Al-Masry Al-Youm

Prime Minister Sherif Ismail has declared that entry to all museums and archaeological sites nationwide will be free of charge on June 30 for Egyptians and non-Egyptians during working hours.

The Antiquities Ministry announced in May that free museum entry will be seen increasingly often as the ministry encourages Egyptians to visit museums and explore their heritage.

The decision was published in the official gazette on Monday, in addition to an announcement that Thursday will be an official holiday.

Thursday marks the third anniversary of the June 30 revolution which toppled Islamist President Mohamed Morsy.



Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm

http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/f ... es-june-30

I wonder if anyone can access the Official Gazette and throw any light on the definition of "working hours"

The extension (if true) to non-Egyptians is interesting....usually it's Egyptians and foreign residents

Something has just clicked. I saw a Facebook post about free balloon rides for Luxor residents, which will be one morning this week. It must be linked to this.

Visits to museums and archaeological sites will be free of charge on Thursday to Egyptians, Arabs and foreigners residing in Egypt, said the cabinet

Mmmmm.....possibly not tourists then. Probably a 6mth + extension requires

http://www.egyptindependent.com//news/f ... es-june-30

Re Balloon : Better get your skates on if you want a free ride:

Barbara Clarke
4 hrs ·
I know that a lot of people have already let us know that they will be coming to this event but please if anyone else would like to come message Theresa or me by this evening. The Governorate need to know how many people will be attending so that they can arrange the balloons as they only want about 10 people in each balloon and don't want to have to turn people away if they don't have enough room. The people that have already confirmed that they are coming will have priority.
The meeting place will be at the Ramessium at 4am, there will not be any transportation provided.

Barbara Clarke
Yesterday at 12:30 ·
CALLING ALL LUXOR RESIDENTS!!!
There is an open invitation for a FREE balloon trip on Thursday 30th June, 4am near to the Ramessium temple (further details of transport from the ferry to follow).
Please PM me or Theresa if you would like to take part in this exciting event.

10 people in each balloon doesn't sound very many are they actual flights or some sort of tethered balloons?

Horus wrote:10 people in each balloon doesn't sound very many * are they actual flights or some sort of tethered balloons?

*Depends how fat the occupants are

Horus wrote:10 people in each balloon doesn't sound very many are they actual flights or some sort of tethered balloons?

I thought it didn't sound many people either. I came to my own conclusion, which is probably wrong, that it was a PR stunt and so they wanted to get a minimum of 10 people per basket (assuming it's not one of the small 6 person baskets) in each basket and fly as many balloons as possible.

I don't know how widely it has been advertised. I just came across the information earlier today in Facebook group I belong.

Perhaps MD can enlighten us if she pops in? albeit she is still recovering in the UK.

I assume that when they say "near the Ramesseum" they actually mean the normal balloon take-off area further to the East near the turning for Deir el Bahri (Temple of Hatshepsut).

Apparently the day was bit of a cock up all round.

Despite being asked to advertise the balloons, the Clarke sisters were not amused to find capacity was woefully inadequate. To their credit they gave up their own places . I guess they'll be having second thoughts about acting as messenger boys in future.

To cap it all...I gather nobody told the guardians at the temples, museum etc about free entry....and everyone had to pay as usual, Egyptian and foreigner alike!

It would be funny...except what hope is there for tourism with such poor communication

From what I heard from an on the spot reporter, either the local government had not advertised the fact, or the balloon companies had not been informed about the freebies, but when the free loaders arrived, there was no space available as the balloons were full of Egyptian customers. But to give credit where it is due, a lot gave up their places for the visitors. An eye witness was reported to overhear one of the sisters shouting, ''That's it, no more encouragement to promote Egypt from us in the future.'' About as much chance of an advertised free balloon ride than that ever happening.

Well on my way to Karnak today I decided to try the free entrance to Karnak Temple. Everyone was paying, Egyptians the few, very few tourists who where there. I didn't really want to go in so gave it a miss. No one seemed to be aware of the free entrance arrangements.
I do sometimes feel very sorry for the sisters, they after all are only provided with the information and end up every time it seems with egg on their faces. Perhaps it is time they gave up. Their attempts to increase tourism to Luxor has very little chance of success but let them persevere keeps them out of trouble if nothing else.

carrie wrote:Well on my way to Karnak today I decided to try the free entrance to Karnak Temple. Everyone was paying, Egyptians the few, very few tourists who where there. I didn't really want to go in so gave it a miss. No one seemed to be aware of the free entrance arrangements.

Carrie, today is July 1st. The Free Entrance Day was yesterday, June 30th.

Oh well that accounts for it then. Carrie drops another clanger.

carrie wrote:Well on my way to Karnak today I decided to try the free entrance to Karnak Temple. Everyone was paying, Egyptians the few, very few tourists who where there. I didn't really want to go in so gave it a miss. No one seemed to be aware of the free entrance arrangements.
I do sometimes feel very sorry for the sisters, they after all are only provided with the information and end up every time it seems with egg on their faces. Perhaps it is time they gave up. Their attempts to increase tourism to Luxor has very little chance of success but let them persevere keeps them out of trouble if nothing else.

This may be incorrect, but I was told that it was their idea and got it off the ground. Just a pity the free balloons didn't go in the same direction.