Day Seven - New Year's Eve In Luxor

New Year's Eve. At 7:30pm we were going to the Metropolitan restaurant for a New Year's Eve party. I was really looking forward to this as I had been told there were going to be belly dancers. Having supplied belly dance costumes and accessories for several years, I had never actually seen a belly dancer in action. Of course I'd seen them on television and movies but it was great to finally be able to see them live.

We had a really lazy day, lounging around the hotel until it was time to leave for the party.

Barbara's Egyptian friend Alla came to the hotel in a taxi at around 7:30. We piled in and took the two minute journey down the corniche and arrived at the waterfront. The area outside the restaurant had been closed off and a giant 'tent' of carpets and tapestries erected, effectively closing off the area to non-party guests.

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Other than an Egyptian family in one corner, we were the first to arrive. We took to our table, talking the owner into letting us have the table right at the front, and ordered a few drinks. Slowly more people started arriving. After about an hour or so most tables had been filled. Then the show began.

Firstly some traditional Egyptian musicians appeared, playing traditional music. These were really good and got people up to dance with them, Sabine amongst those who danced.

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After the musicians a snake charmer appeared. This was not to my approval. I think this is cruel as the cobra he was tormenting had probably had it's fangs removed (the charmer was letting it get very close to people so I'm assuming it was actually very harmless). In fact, I got very close to it to take pictures, which I would not have done had I thought it was lethal. One of the waiters didn't see it on the floor and, as he was passing to go to a table at the back, he actually trod on the cobra. It wasn't happy but I don't think it was harmed. The charmer then proceeded to move around the tables with other snakes he had with him. He made a move to our table but I told him, with no doubt left in his mind, that he wasn't to come near us. While I have no problem with snakes, Sabine has a phobia and is terrified of them!

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After the snake charmer had departed with his 'pets' a group of two girls and three men came in and danced. They performed various different dance routines, in different costumes throughout the night, intermixing with the belly dancers which were yet to show themselves. At this current time they performed what I assumed was some sort of traditional dance.

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Then I finally got to see my first belly dancer! She was great too. She came in carrying two flaming brands which she danced with and then did some fire eating. I got in to trouble with Sabine over this dancer (the photo's will explain why!) As I was one of the only few people taking photographs she kept playing for the camera and made an awful lot of eye contact, which didn't escape Sabine's notice. Well I was only looking!

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After she finished the two girls from the group that had been on earlier came back and did some more dancing.

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Then our second belly dancer of the night appeared.

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Throughout the rest of the evening the acts kept coming on with different costume changes, different dances and some singing in Egyptian from the second belly dancer. It was a mesmerising experience (again I got most of the attention from the first belly dancer, again not un-noticed by Sabine. I was still only looking).

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Sometime during all of this we had dinner. A fantastic buffet was put out, with turkey, all the trimmings, Egyptian food, deserts and more.

We all counted down at just before midnight and then a blanket tied to the roof was opened and balloons released. Then there was more dancing, more drink and more merriment. We stayed till around 2am and then Sabine and I had a stroll back to our hotel, shouting and receiving 'Happy New Year' greetings to complete strangers as we passed.

All in all it was one of the best New Year parties I've attended, and certainly the most memorable!

Day 8 - The Return Home >>