An hour in Luxor

Planned to do another Saltire photo today, but I just can't figure out the uploading bit :-(

So much was happening today in town, or maybe I just had my eyes open even wider than normal today?

This was the first sight I was struck with. A lady sat on the side of the road with her baby...not begging, just those that can, will slip her a coin or two. Everyday she sits in the same place, as her child sleeps on her lap.

It seemed hectic today across the River.

Restaurants lighting their outdoor ovens, the smoke bellowing out across the streets.

Men praying outside the Abu El Hagag Mosque and in the streets.

4 lanes of traffic fighting to pass in a one way street.

People scrabbling for their daily allowance of bread from the bakeries.

Children going to and from school, girls walking deliberately in the middle of the road.

Donkeys tied up all day as their owners sell oranges and other fruits/foods from the carts...nibbling at the dust in the hope that there may be something they missed earlier.

The noise is deafening, no such thing as silencers on motorbikes here.

Manic as it was, I did enjoy the aimless stroll and ended up at the railway crossing signal box.

I watched the chaos of people crossing the track in their cars, 4 on a motorbike, caleche, donkeys and carts, bicycles and pedestrians (Even one in his Pyjama's!)
Looking up I saw the fat controller peering down from his look out. I asked if I could go up..'Welcome' Was his reply.

A small wooden shack elevated to the side of the track was his workplace. Everything in and out of Luxor was controlled from this box!

The bakerlite (Bat phone) phone rang. The FC kept hanging up after every 3 or 4 words, frantically turning the handle at the side in order to continue shouting into the mouthpiece. Many years of noise from the streets had taken it's toll and he could hear very little and bellowed every word.

Mahatta (Station) had called to say the Cairo train was on it's way. He checked the 100 year old, handwritten timetable and smiled - 'Egyptian time Madame'

A hand reached past me and began to ring a bell on the outside of the window. Children below, picked up the chains on either side of the crossing, which should have stopped the pedestrians.

No.....it seemed a game for fathers with their 3 children on the back of the motorbike, cyclists carrying heavy loads and pedestrians to play chicken with the oncoming train!

The wheel of a buggy got stuck in the railway track, throwing out one of the children inside, another lady collided with a motorbike dropping all of the bread she had queued so patiently for...Luckily they managed to get to the other side safely.

As I watched from above and listened to the FC and his men blowing whistles and shouting at the people to wait, the train sounded it's horn and chugged by....My heart was racing as I hoped no-one else would try to cross.

Lines and signals are changed manually, by a range of 25 different coloured steel handles. Hassan, a slight man with very few teeth, was in charge of this job. He mustered all of his strength to pull on the antiquated system, ensuring the train passed smoothly over the crossing.

I took the offer of a cup of tea while I watched 3 trains pass through....I had so much fun with these men.
Somehow, the chaos and many near accidents I witnessed, did not phase them? Maybe years of being in the job.

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