Aswan - December 2009

December 16 - Aswan - we hit the ground running. We were met at the train and whisked to our hotel (Marhada Palace Hotel) for a quick stop then on to the sightseeing. Our first stop was a granite quarry of the Unfinished Obelisk. We got the amazing story of how they quarried the obelisks at a later date. Our next stop was the Philae Temple. This historic temple was moved to its present island to save it from the flooding of the Nile when the Aswan Dam was built. It was a major project taken on by Unesco and Egypt.

This is a good site for the story - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philae

Here is a great site for photos -

http://images.google.com/images?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=philae+temple+egypt&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=_eI1S4PcJZP-4Aba_uXKCw&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCMQsAQwAw

We were then taken to see the new dam - it was interesting, but could have passed.

Here is some info on that - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aswan_Dam

Unfortunately the winds didn't favour a trip to Elephantine Island, which I had wanted to see, but it was still a lovely Felucca ride. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elephantine

We did get a great view of the Nubian Village.

Here are some great internet photos of Feluccas -

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=felucca+on+the+nile&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=UOU1S6abIZCu4Qax2OCqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CCYQsAQwAw

Bedtime was early as we were expecting a wake-up call at 2:30am for our trip to Abu Simbel.

December 17 - We were picked up at the hotel at 3am for a rendezvous with a convoy of other buses and cars for a police escorted trip across the desert to Abu Simbel. Unfortunately, the convoy didn't even leave until 4:40, so it was an interminable time in the bus. We found out later than one could fly to Abu Simbel! My recommendation - never mind the price difference - it would be worth it! Don't forget, one still has the return journey in the bus. However, having made the journey, it is another truly remarkable feat of monumental moving.

Here is a great photo site -

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&resnum=0&q=Abu+Simbel&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=PfM1S4etHIvS4QbZg8iqCA&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBQQsAQwAA

And of course the usual Wikipedia site - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abu_Simbel

We arrived back at our hotel at 1pm and were taken to the Beau Soleil - our lovely cruise ship, where a very welcome lunch awaited. We got unpacked and still had a couple of hours to wander around the markets in Aswan before setting sail during dinner at 8pm.

To be continued . . .