I am new here and hope you can help. My husband and I are moving to Luxor in September but we haven't been there for 18 months although we did live there for a while a few years ago. I am sure things have changed a great deal since then. Are there any gyms suitable for a lady to attend on her own? I am keen to get some regular exercise whilst in Luxor but remember that tday usage of the gyms inside the hotels were usually more expensive than what you would pay in the UK.
Any help on this matter on any other advise would be much appreciated.
Nafisa x
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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There are several gyms in Luxor that are suitable for you to use alone. There is a new one about to open off Medina Street which is owned and run by a European and there is another well equipped one near the Emilio Hotel on the third floor of the Marianne Building.
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I used to be a member of the government gym, which is under the public swimming pool near to the Sonesta Hotel. My friend and I used to hire the whole gym for one hour 2 or 3 times a week. We wanted to be on our own so nobody could point or laugh. That cost about 80LE per month between us.
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many thanks for your responses Little Garden and Luxor lover.
I have a few more questions about various other things if anyone can help.
I currently have savings in a sterling account with the bank of Alexandria but the interest is only about 4%. Does anybody know if any other banks offer a significantly higher rate of interest?
We would like to have some wrought iron furniture made, does anybody know of a person in luxor who can make this sort of thing?
We are flying in to Cairo not Luxor where we will be staying for a couple of weeks before making our way down to Luxor. We intend to purchase a few household bits and pieces but some will be too big and bulky to take on the plane/train. Has anybody ever shipped furniture etc from Cairo to Luxor? How easy is it and is it expensive to transport?
Any help would be much appreciated and thank you once again for those that responded to my previous questions.
Nafisa x
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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The National Bank of Egypt is offering an interest rate on savings of around 9% at the moment although I am not sure that it extends to sterling accounts. There is a branch on the Corniche. Alternatively there is the American Egyptian Bank at the Iberotel. They are efficient but do not offer quite such a good rate of interest (It is about 7.5% on Euro accounts at the moment) and there is a minumum amount to be put into both sterling and Euro accounts to avoid bank charges being levied.
It is not very expensive to get a pick-up to bring things down from Cairo - that is if you have bought enough goods to fill one. However, I have brought bulky items like large chandeliers down on the train without any problem.
I know of several people in Luxor who make beautiful wrought iron furniture (I have a lovley peacock chair myself) and there is a now a new showroom open in Tayeb Street with a wide range of furniture on display.
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Many thanks Luxor lover. I may look into the Americal Egyptian bank when we get there. Can you you recall approximately how much it cost for the pick up? Did you use someone like DHL? The new showroom sounds good, is it furniture in general or wrought iron specifically.
We need to get a new kitchen for our flat and will probably have one made. However, has anybody ever purchase a European style fitted kitchen from Cairo and then had it fitted in Luxor or anywhere else in egypt. Is it logistically quite easy to organise?
Questions, questions questions! :-) Nafisa x
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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The showroom is entirely for wrought iron furniture.
It was several years ago that I had a quote for a pick-up to go to Cairo and back and then it was about 500 LE (£50) now it might be double that, but it is still inexpensive compared with most 'shipping' costs. I did not use DHL because they really are expensive. most big stores know of some private individual who will move things for you.
As far as kitchens are concerned, it is not easy to buy a premade kitchen that will fit into a Luxor kithen, which have a tendency to be small. The way it is usually done is to get pictures of the cabinets you want and then give them to the furniture maker to make for you at a size that will fit your kitchen.
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Yes it's really worth bringing Kitchen & furniture brochures from the UK. It is easy to get things copied by furniture makers, just don't leave anything up to their imagination, show them EXACTLY what you want.
Posts: 3809 | From: Paradise | Registered: Mar 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Penny: It is easy to get things copied by furniture makers, just don't leave anything up to their imagination, show them EXACTLY what you want.
AAAAARRRRGGGHHHHH, my sister gave them EXACTLY the measurements she wanted together with the pictures and all, and they still made her something totally different.
I don't know how you managed Penny but you were lucky I guess!
Posts: 8756 | From: Tax-Free Zone | Registered: Jul 2005
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Thanks for the info guys. I have had some furniture made in Luxor before and it was pretty good. We will probably have a kitchen made but was intrigued as to whether it was possible to get a fitted kitchen. What are the common types of wood that are used in Egypt for furniture making? It intrigues me as there are no as many trees (other than Palm) in Egypt
Thanks for all your help Nafisa
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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Marcella/LL Only with u OK So P*** O** 4 good or come and see me face to face would really like to meet up with you/her Inshallaha soon that will take place Dont hide behind here lets meet up arrange it and i will be there lOOK FORWARD TO IT I'M MAGNOONA HAHAHAHAHA
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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good grief!I was starting to enjoy this forum This thread was very civilised and now we have personal digs being carried out. Zanuu, I can see from your profile that you are a wife and mother. Don't you have anything better to do than make persistent nasty comments to people you don't know via the internet. Can this thread go back to discussing moving to Luxor, furniture or something nice?
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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YOU TOO SWEET HEART AND TAKE CARE XXXXXXX YOU ARE SUCH A SWEET PERSON AS YOUR POSTS REFELCT YOUR PERSONALITY
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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nafisa Gooodness it shows you have been away along time go back and read other threads about these people dont judge book by its cover Then come back and add your two pennies worth ok girl xx
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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PPS I DO KNOW THESE PEOPLE AND YOU DONT AND AS I SAID DONT BE FOOLED OK COME BACK TO THIS FORUM/LUXOR/EGYPT THEN YOU CAN REALLY MAKE A OPPINION AND WATCH YOUR PC PMs BVE BECAREUL OK\TAKE CARE X
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by zanuu: Marcella/LL Only with u OK So P*** O** 4 good or come and see me face to face would really like to meet up with you/her Inshallaha soon that will take place Dont hide behind here lets meet up arrange it and i will be there lOOK FORWARD TO IT I'M MAGNOONA HAHAHAHAHA
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See u soon LL look forward to our meeting it really should be interesting we really should meet up and talk very soon xxxx
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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ha ha where is the violence??????? ok I shall just give you a call when i arrive then or maybe call in sinbads to say hello???? or i can call around to your flat to say HI WHAT EVER YOU WANT just let me know xxxxx
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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What ever we will meet up for that TALK Beleive me c u take care xxxxlove u
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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Dont u get fed up of pissing people off this is not new 4 you if anyone could do a search then your history would confirm this-you go back a long long way with conflicts/abuse/ with regards to you personally why? Have you not met your match yet???
Inshallah that day could be very soon. No violence just lets meet face to face ok lots of love to both xxxx c u very very soon xx
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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Nafisa - good luck in getting your cupboards made. There are a lot of furniture makers out near the railway crossing.
Posts: 2235 | From: Jail | Registered: Jun 2004
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What are u scared of???? Why do you make remarks like 'ARE YOU THREATEN ME' Who really gives a **** are you so deranged that anything could be taken out of contex whats your game plan ??????? See you and your friend soon with my sons and tell him they feel the same about him as i do you xxxxxx Love ur both xx This on here dont mean **** xxxxx
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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Nafisa - as far as wood is concerned most of the wood that is used in furniture making is not good stuff - especially if it is out of sight at the back. This means that the fronts of things look OK but the backs leave a lot to be desired. The saving factor is that it is not very expensive.
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What ever LL and you ever ever call me a nutter again Coming from you is like kettle calling pan xxxxxFrom a mental distubed person is so funny v hahahahahaa
Posts: 58 | From: ireland and egypt | Registered: Jun 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Luxorlover: Nafisa - as far as wood is concerned most of the wood that is used in furniture making is not good stuff - especially if it is out of sight at the back. This means that the fronts of things look OK but the backs leave a lot to be desired. The saving factor is that it is not very expensive.
That is a good point. Nafisa - have a good check around and price everything up before you buy. The main problem I found when getting stuff first made was I had to pay for it before he made it - so he could go and buy the wood. So fingers crossed it turned out how I wanted it to look.
Posts: 17 | From: www.littlegardenhotel.com | Registered: Apr 2006
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I agee about the wood type. I have had some wardrobes made previously and it was very well made the quality of the word was not great and I have no idea what type of wood it is.
I think Cedar wood is nice but have no idea if that is expensive or easily avilable. My husband told me what it is called in Arabic but doesn't know the word in English. I must admit when I had furniture made before I did request a certain type of would, I just excepeted what I was given but I will be more fussy this time.
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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Get references from other people about the furniture maker before you give him your order. I had a suite made by one man who did all the back of everything in thin white cloth. His excuse was that it would stand against a wall and nobody would see it. He redid the backs but in a totally different fabric from the rest of the suite.
If you bought cabinets in Cairo at least you would know the quality and what they look like, but you still have to get them to fit into awkward shaped spaces.
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I would really like to know too. When I go to the carpenters they always seem to use the same type of wood, you never seem to get an option.
Little Garden -Oooh yes! Painting! Can't wait for that. Last time I was in Luxor the paint shop was at the bottom of station street. Is this still the best one to go to? How much does it cost for a tin of paint? Also, there are a couple of small holes in the wall where nails have been which I want to fill with polyfiller and sand down before painting. Can you get this there? Also I want to use a 'pad' instead of a roller for paiting. Can you get these in that shop and also brushes?
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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Don't think they have polyfilla - think its called mixyourown. You coule bring a tube with you.
Paint prices depends on how deep the colour is. You can see the charts and they mix it for you. I know the one you mean in Station street (if its still there) there is some renovation work going on at the moment. There are a few about town. Best to take your own sample of material of card for what you want to match it up with because some shops don't let you take out sample charts.
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You can buy a white powder plaster that works as well as polyfilla but dires with alarming speed. One side of Station Street has been demolished but there is still a shop half way down the mixes paint colours by computer. They are very good and not expensive compared with Uk prices.
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Thanks for the info and I like the words 'not expensive!'
I am mad about cushions and have loads to bring with me but have remove the insides so that I just have to take the covers. I will therefore need to buy loads of insides for my covers. Where can I get these? Does anybody else find it Luxor that it can be like a massive hunt trying to find the simplest of things? good fun though!!!
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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Thanks for the info and I like the words 'not expensive!'Little Garden - I have followed your advise and just popped out to Focus to buy a painting pad. I find I make a mess with rollers!
I am mad about cushions and have loads to bring with me but have remove the insides so that I just have to take the covers. I will therefore need to buy loads of insides for my covers. Where can I get these? Does anybody else find it Luxor that it can be like a massive hunt trying to find the simplest of things? good fun though!!!
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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There is a furniture shop off Medina Street that sells cushion stuffing of a very high quality. It is the really soft fluffy stuff that you get in good quality pillows. It is 20 LE for a really big bag.
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I have a huge big bin liner full of the stuff - One of the big wheelie bin liners - if you want it. I was going to throw it out.
Posts: 17 | From: www.littlegardenhotel.com | Registered: Apr 2006
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Thanks for the offer. I may take you up on that but I am not in Luxor until September.
Posts: 51 | From: England | Registered: Jul 2006
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