The 2010 Moulid of Abu Haggagg.

As usual, the road is closed and the traffic diverted around the Mosque, and all for the annual stick fighting extravaganza! This even happened last year when the Moulid was actually cancelled for fear of spreading the dreaded Swine Flu. People come from all over Egypt to join in this celebration of the famous local Sheik Abu Haggagg. The Mosque which was built on top of Luxor Temple was in his honour, and it's just been renovated at a cost of 7 million Egyptian Pounds.
It's nearly a quarter to two in the morning, but we aren't asleep yet! As well as the stick fighting band, we also have something else going on in a street not far away, and their live music is turned up full blast, seeing as it's part of the Moulid, probably. Anyway, I've been downstairs to watch some of the stick fighting and got a couple of piccies.
The first one has some of the band in it, they are left of centre, just in front of the big doors. You can clearly see three trumpeters, but none of the drummers, sorry!
The other three are of different dancers, after they've had their little spell, they drop the band members a few bob.









A couple of years ago, we had two old men from Kom Ombo sleeping in our street, on the ground, while they awaited their turn to do the stick fighting dance "for Abu Haggagg". It gets quite exciting the later in the night it gets. They usually finish around three in the morning!