7 -13 December 2000
Issue No.511
|
Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 7 -13 December 2000 Issue No.511 |
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 | Current issue | Previous issue | Site map | ||
Practical information
Transportation
Trains All trains to Upper Egypt embark from Ramses Station and stop 15 minutes later at the Giza Station. It is advisable to reserve tickets at least one day in advance (the Spanish train, in particular, is usually in high demand). Tickets are in the LE30 range. For up-to-date information call: 573 5355.
Buses Minya is covered by the West Delta Company. The main bus station is Aboud Station, north of the Ramses Train Station on Shubra Street. For information call: 431 6742.
Taxis From Minya City to most archaeological destinations within the governorate, a taxi is your most comfortable bet. Expect to pay between LE100 to LE150. Service taxis are also an option and can be picked up from the central service depot in Minya City. An excellent driver we dealt with was Alaa Ibrahim Tamam, who has a comfortable four-seater car and knows his way around well. He can be reached at 086 341 888.
Accommodation
Cleopatra Hotel Taha Hussein Street, Tel 086 370 801, Fax 086 370801. Double B&B: LE75, Single B&B: LE50.
Dahabia On the corniche in front of the National Bank, Tel 086 365 596; LE20 per person.
Hotel Mercure Nefertiti & Aton Minia Corniche Al-Nil, Tel 086 341 515/16/17/18, Fax 086 326 496. Double B&B: LE187, Single B&B: LE147
Lotus Hotel 1 Port Said Street, Tel 086 364 541/500, Fax 086 364 576.
Food and drink
The Dahabia, Lotus and Mercure hotels are all safe bets. Mercure also runs a fast food outlet behind the hotel. Locals recommend the Tweety Bird fast food chain on Nadi Al-Riyadi Street, as well as the neighbouring koshari store. Also, the Savoy cafeteria is clean and was recommended to us for fast food, grilled items and fresh juices. We tried one of the ful carts for breakfast and we were not disappointed. Note: If you are going on a day excursion, it is best to stock up on food in Minya City, as offerings in more rural districts can be dodgy. For alcohol your choices are either the Lotus or Mercure hotels.
Tourist Services
Tourism Office Although they may not have the most up-to-date information and will definitely alert local security of your presence, you may feel the need to contact the tourism office. Tel 086 343 500
Public phones A 24-hour telephone office is situated in front of the train station.
Guides We met up with a friendly and passably good guide in Tel Al-Amarna. If you are looking for someone to take you around and taking a gamble makes you queasy, Nasser Omar Hassanein is a fair choice and can be contacted at 086 214 472 or 086 211 849.
Suggested reading
Prices listed are those of the American University in Cairo bookstore.
Guides
Egypt: a practical guide, Tehuti Research Foundation (LE15).
Upper Egypt and Nubia, by Jill Kamil, Sphynx Publishing Co (LE25).
Blue Guide Egypt (LE120).
History
Akhenaton: history, fantasy and Ancient Egypt, by D Monteserrat, Rondledge Press (LE180).
Akhenaton: the heretic king, by Donald Redford, AUC Press (LE50)
Atlas of Ancient Egypt, by John Baines and Jaromir Malek, Andromeda Oxford Ltd. (LE105).
Egypt: the world of the Pharaohs, edited by Regine Schultz and M Seidel, Konemann (LE190) -- a nice picture book of the coffee-table variety.
Nefertiti, by Joyce Tyldesley (LE39).
© Copyright Al-Ahram Weekly. All rights reserved
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
