The Egyptian and the Chinaman.............

Or, as our old mate Max Bygraves would have said, "I wanna tell you a story!". 

Only this isn't a joke or even a funny story, it's very serious for the Egyptians.

Apparently, the Chinese are giving Egypt a helping hand of $1.6 billion. That's a lot of noughts after the 1.6, Dear Reader! So, after having the Pope in Luxor last week, we've got the Chinese President and Prime Minister here this week, being joined by El Supremo himself tomorrow. I've a feeling that President El Sisi hasn't actually been to Luxor since he was put in charge. The "powers-that-be" of Luxor are certainly going all-out to impress. Speed humps have been done away with (apparently, John F Kennedy's murder by shooting was only popssible because his vehicle had to slow down!) and roads are being re-surfaced as I write. 

Roadside plots are being planted and generally tidied up, and Luxor Temple is being screened from public gaze by tent poles and tent fabric. It's all going on 

down there.

On the left of the above shot is the back corner of house which used to belong to the two elderly ladies, the shot was taken from the Corniche. The next one was taken from farther along the Corniche, towards the south end of the Temple.

And this next one is from the south end of the Temple, looking over the storage area towards the Abu Haggag Square.

Here we are, opposite the old Luxor Wena Hotel site (Sindbad's), shooting the picture across the top of the Roman remains, which are the latest of the excavations on the Temple site.

Of course, I took a few more which may be of some interest:

On the Corniche side of the Temple, the benign smile of President El Sisi is displayed looking down from several lamp posts. (Actually, there are also pictures of a Chinaman, but I wasn't sure if it was their President or their Prime Minister, fool that I am!) 

They're erecting a nice little tent, right in front of the pylon, collossi and obelisk.

Maybe it's not very evident from this pic, but they're also erecting loads of lighting gantries. They're to adequately illuminate the Temple for the fesivities tomorrow night, when the "Honoured Guests" will be treated to a night of wonderous entertainment, including even exerpts from the opera "Aida".

More lighting towers shots, plus a glimpse of he Chinese lanterns, strategically placed around the Temple. They must be a couple of spares lying in the foreground. But what's that guard up to?

I hope El Sisi doesn't catch him texting if he's on duty tomorrow!!!!

As well as the lighting towers, they have plenty of lights on the ground, too:

Do you see them in the foreground? I suppose that they'll need them all to produce the following fabulous result, eh?

Let's all hope that the Chinese delegation are suitably impressed, and, even though they're going through rough times themselves, they can find the aid which they've promised.

Good on ya, President Abdel Fattah El Sisi!