Egypt has launched a rescue plan to drain off water from the Nile threatening two pharaonic temples in the Luxor region in the south of the country.

The river's water table had risen due to extensive irrigation of nearby fields, placing the Karnak and Luxor temples in imminent danger, said the Supreme Council of Antiquities, which is responsible for Egypt's historical monuments.

In recent decades, the encroaching salty water has already done extensive damage to the 5000-year-old complexes, two of the country's biggest tourist attractions.

In certain areas, the waters have risen by 1.5 metres, submersing the base of the columns and jeopardising their foundations.   Meanwhile the salt has faded the brilliant colour of the temples and the exquisite statues flanking the columns...

[More]   AFP via Sydney Morning Herald, Australia, January 18, 2005.

Also Egypt's Pharaonic temples under threat from rising Nile, AFP via The Indian Express, India, January 17, 2005.

And Egyptian temples in danger, The South African Star, South Africa, January 17, 2005.

Some related articles of interest.

• Conservation at the Chicago House in Luxor, Egypt, Lois Fruen Kendall, The Real World of Chemistry 6th ed, Hunt Publishing, 2002.
• Chicago House: Rescuing History, Saudi Aramco World, Volume 45, Number 5, September/October 1994.
• Soggy soil sours Egyptian sandstone, Geotimes, September 2002.
• Weathering Damage on Pharonic sandstone monuments in Luxor - Egypt, Bernd Fitzner, Kurt Heinrichs, and Dennis La Bouchardiere, Geological Institute, Aachen University, Germany.
• Egypt Battles a Sleeping Devil: Salt damage threatens the monuments of the pharaohs, TIME Magazine, USA, May. 27, 1985.   Requires subscription.

Cairo is one of the most fascinating cities on earth.   Ancient and modern history intricately blends with the people of today's Cairo.   Although there are many poor among Egyptians, they manage to gracefully carry the weight of centuries.

Modern Cairo is a nearly-150 year-old a city bustling with activity and lined by wide boulevards, built to impress kings and Europe's politicians during the opening ceremony of the Suez Canal.   Modern Cairo often is compared with Paris, though many of the buildings are now in disrepair and beggars are everywhere.   If one can manage to close their eyes to the bad and open them to the wonderful shops in downtown Cairo, relaxing times at one of the cafes or restaurants awaits you...

[More]   The Epoch Times, California, USA, Jan 15, 2005.

8.1 Million Tourists in Egypt.

Egyptian Tourism Officials announced Thursday that a record number of tourists visited Egypt in 2004.   Ahmed El Khadem , Chairman of the Egyptian Tourist Authority, said some 8.1 million tourists visited Egypt last year, an increase of 34.1% over 2003 when an estimated 6.4 million visited.

In the meantime, a report by the Egyptian Central Bank said revenues from tourism were estimated at $6.1 billion in 2004.

The tourist nights reached almost 82 million, an increase of 53% over 2003.

Canadian tourists to Egypt recorded an increase of 34% over 2003 reaching 48 000 tourists.

[More]   TravelVideo.TV, Canada, Jan 14, 2005.