Luxor: rendez-vous May 2002
In a spirit of exchange and discovery, Béatrice wished to prolong the extraordinary cultural and human adventure of "Cairo: Rendez-vous June, 2000", but, this time, in the heart of an antique city steeped in history : Luxor or mythical Thebes.
Every afternoon, Béatrice, accompanied by exceptional musical groups, classical, baladi and sha' abi, offered a novel course centred on melodies and authentic rhythms of Egypt.

.... Some exalting moments in an extraordinary dance room by its size, the beauty of the decor, and by its situation dominating the Nile and the West Bank.
The classical ensemble « Arabesque » ... the baladi musicians

... the sha'abi troops of Luxor and « Les musiciens du Nil »...

... and a strong and novel experience with women "performing" the zar
This new project thus kept its promises and offered participants coming from Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Finland and England, the unique opportunity to discover, in depth and far from clichés, a certain Egypt, a great civilization which raised impressive homes to its gods:

The temple of Amon at Karnak

... the temple of Luxor

...the West Bank with the Valley of the Queens, the Valley of the Kings, the graves of noble persons and the inspiring valley of the artisans ...

...Deir el Bahari's temple, harmonious and powerful...

...Deir el Medineh's temple...

...the Ramesseum...

...Medinet Habou's magnificent temple.
It is also in Egypt, land of great spirituality, that a particular shape of religious life was born: monachism.

Thus, Coptic convents were also accessible to the group: the monastery of Deir el Mohareb, dating from the III century, lost in the desert, and inhabited by a women's community who dedicate their life to God and others. We shared very beautiful moments together, discovered their rhythm of life, visited the sanctuary for prayer... Finally, we went to the dispensary of "Garagos", in a village in the heart of the countryside around Luxor.
We discovered the pottery workshops, the nursery, the school, the work in the fields, and the places where each can come and be taken care of.
It was a real opportunity to meet people of the country, listen to them, watch them living and working.
Finally, several new cultural evenings took place around the traditional songs, dances specific to the South of Egypt.

The group comfortably installed on an immense pontoon jutting over the Nile and under the benevolent glance of Lady Moon, discovered exceptional artists, deeply attached to the land that saw their birth.

.... Some mysterious evenings full of vitality, always original and intense.
The last ghawazy of the Mazen family accompanied by magnificent mizmar players,...

... Sheikh El Korachi and his group,

... The dancers of kaf from Edfou

... and the famous singer El Agouz from Esna
At the end of these wonderful days, so loaded with emotion, the time came to gather together, in a peaceful atmosphere, almost in contemplation. After our last visit in Luxor's temple, feluccas waited for us to return, slowly, towards our place of residence, haven of peace and relaxation.
Thus, three feluccas, sails swollen with wind, slid slowly on the Nile, navigating along banks, speaking to birds and feeling the countryside drifting slowly into sleep under the last beams of the God sun Râ.

Goodbye Luxor, we shall return ...