Cheers to my 300+ new followers, who stumbled upon Writing Through the Fog via Where Neon Signs Go to Die, my post on the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas. Thanks for following along.
Some of you may not know, then, that a few days before I went to Las Vegas, I was in Egypt. I’d been in Egypt for most of October and into the first week of November, then flew to Vegas for 11.11.11. In Egypt, I spent a bulk of my time in Cairo and escaped to the Sinai and Red Sea to a desert beach camp in Ras Shaitan (the Devil’s Head).
I also squeezed in a few days in Luxor to overdose on temples, tombs, and pharaonic ruins.
The Ramesseum (left and right) and Habu Temple (middle) in Luxor, Egypt.
So as I walked on the glitzy Vegas Strip, the ancient Egyptian temples of Luxor were fresh in my mind. And when I wandered inside the pyramid-shaped hotel of the Luxor Las Vegas, it felt surreal.
And quite silly.
Then again, this post seems silly. But I doubt I’ll fly that jarring Egypt-to-Las Vegas itinerary ever again, and since this odd, amusing juxtaposition of culture still swirls in my head, I thought to share it with you.
And so: the kitschy appropriation of ancient Egypt, courtesy of the Luxor Las Vegas:
Left: The Great Sphinx and one of the Pyramids at Giza. Right: A small sphinx-like sculpture with a pharaonic head inside the Luxor, next to a Titanic exhibition. (We’ll just ignore the fact that the Great Sphinx is in Giza, just outside of Cairo’s center, and not in Luxor.)
Left: A section of the Luxor Temple in Luxor’s city’s center. Right: A structure inside the Luxor Hotel in Vegas. (I’m actually confused about what this is supposed to be.)
Left: An obelisk inside the belly of the Luxor Hotel. Right: an obelisk at the entrance of the Luxor Temple in Egypt.
A faceless pharaoh at massive Karnak Temple in Luxor. Feet and body facing forward. Hand on thigh.
Juxtaposed against…
A seated pharaoh next to an advertisement in the Luxor Hotel’s lobby. Feet also planted forward, hand on thigh, and ready for the afterlife.
Slot machines in the Luxor Casino.
Left: A relief at the Ramesseum on the west bank in Luxor. Right: A painted relief near the lobby of the Luxor Hotel. Note the profile view and similar hand gestures. On the right, also note the blue color, which—in Egypt’s Luxor—was a gorgeous accent on temple walls that were somewhat preserved, as in Habu Temple on the west bank. (Unfortunately, my camera died when I arrived at Habu, so I have no photos from that visit.)
Left: A relief at the Ramesseum in Luxor, in typical profile view. Right: A figure on the wall in the Luxor Hotel’s lobby.
Hieroglyphs lit up along a corridor in the Luxor Casino (en route to Mandalay Bay Casino).
Compared to the hieroglyphs in Egypt…
Left: Hieroglyphs on a block under a seated pharaoh at the entrance of the Luxor Temple. Right: Hieroglyphs on a column in the grand hypostyle hall of Karnak Temple.
More Photos of Egypt:
More Posts on Egypt:
- Photos of Egypt, I: From the Citadel to the Streets in Cairo
- Photos of Egypt, II: The Desert, the Red Sea, and the Devil’s Head
- Photos of Egypt, III: The Temples and Streets of Luxor
- Photos of Egypt, IV: Cairo Street Art on Gezira
- Notes and Numbers from My Moleskine: Egypt, Details, and Sensory Overload
Beautiful shots!
Loved this comparison between two cultures separated by three thousand years or so. You did a great job of marrying to the two.
Tim
Thanks, Tim. Glad you enjoyed the comparison!
stumbled on your ‘neon signs graveyard’ post and became one of the 300+ new followers. great blog you have here. i echo the many sentiments here in saying that the comparison between ancient egypt/luxor is far from silly. first and only time i’ve been to vegas, i’ve always thought the whole place was quite… whimsical? and borderline strange in the mishmash of cultures underneath all the neon lights.
can’t wait to read more!
I like this: “the mishmash of cultures underneath all the neon lights.” Yes.
Thanks for the note!
very good post! heheheh Vegas should be a big brilliant crazy place….
this is so nice
I found walking through Caesar’s Palace not long after having been in Italy the same sort of odd, slightly surreal and yes, a little bit silly.
Yes, especially the forum with all the ancient Roman statues and sculptures. Surreal and silly are perfect ways to describe the walk-through experience after having just visited the “real” place/culture!
You can call it silly, but it’s still a perfect contrast, and a very weird trip ending. Simple post but the execution is still great..
Yeah, it *was* weird. And funny. And fascinating. Thanks for the kind words (and the RT).
Reblogged this on Jesika Smith and commented:
This would make a great art historical essay or book!
You live such an interesting life. The beauty of Egypt is in stark contrast to what’s going on there right now.
Keep posting good things. I’ll be watching.
I don’t think I live an interesting life but rather do my best to write about/photograph the things I see each day. The world is interesting, not me
Thanks for your note. Glad to have you following along!
Great comparison! I have been to Luxor in Vegas, and I have always wanted to go to Egypt. Just waiting for things to settle down a bit first. Love the photos, thank you.
Haha, love the comparisons, some really beautiful pictures!
Coordinating pics from Vegas and Egypt is a great idea. Love the pics. Not too long ago a touring Cleopatra exhibit come through Cincinnati, so images took me back to what I saw. I haven’t been to Egypt, but hopefully their social/governmental transition will settle into that wouldn’t become isolationist.
Cool post. I think that confusing Vegas structure in your third set of photos is supposed to resemble a pharaonic headdress.
Bria–so glad someone else thinks that structure is confusing! Thanks for your comment–I can see the headdress similarities.