Abu Simbel and Aswan...and a camel ride--Days 12-15

We moored overnight on the outskirts of Aswan.  In the morning we bid farewell to our captain and crew...

...and travel overland about 180 miles to Abu Simbel.  You will notice that the Nile is actually a lake between these 2 points.  The Aswan High Dam was built in the 1960s across the Nile River and stops up one of the largest rivers in the world, creating a huge reservoir, Lake Nasser.

We rode in a comfortable coach bus through the Nubian Desert.

It was very windy...

and we actually experienced seeing a mirage.  Can you see it?  What looks like water on the horizon was more obvious in real life.

When we arrived in Abu Simbel, we headed directly to the massive temples of Abu Simbel.

Ahh...this is the back side.

We had to walk down around to the lakeside to see the temples.

Cut out of the solid cliff in the 13th century BC, the temples were doomed to vanish beneath the rising waters of Lake Nasser, that giant reservoir created by the Aswan Dam.

To save the temples, the entire complex was cut into 1,036 blocks weighing 11 tons each.  

 Thanks to the labor of 25,000 workers over three years, the temples were moved 200 feet up the cliffs and safely re-established above the new water level.

The statues in front of the temple were built to show the strength and power of the Egyptian King Ramses II.

The temple contains four colossal statues of the pharoah at its entrance, each about 69 feet tall.

On the inner walls of the Ramses Temple, there are elaborate depictions of famous battles.

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Over thousands of years, the temples had been completely buried under sand until early in the 19th century.  Because of this, the colors and engravings have been well preserved.

In addition, Abu Simbel has a second, smaller, temple that may have been built for queen Nefertari. Its front includes two statues of the queen and four of the pharaoh, each about 33 feet in height

We then checked into our hotel where we will stay overnight, the Eskaleh Eco Lodge.

We are in an area of Egypt called Egyptian Nubia, an area that was a kingdom until divided in 1899 into Egypt and Sudan by Great Britain.   Nubians are the result of centuries of mixing between the very black peoples of East Africa and Ethiopia, the light brown Egyptians, and the Arab traders who traveled up and down the Red Sea coast.  This hotel is owned by Nubians.

 It is pretty basic, but comfortable.

In the afternoon we met a Nubian who told us about his culture and how important it is to his people to keep the Nubian language alive and resettle Nubians on the shores of Lake Nasser.  When the Aswan Dam was built, the lake flooded the ancestral lands and 50,000 Nubians were resettled away from southern Egypt.

That evening we returned to the temples of Abu Simbel to see a light and sound show.

 Interesting to see the statues all lit...the photos certainly don't do it justice, though.

The next morning we departed Abu Simbel for a two-night stay in Aswan.  Before reaching our hotel, we stopped at the High Dam of Aswan.

We are on top of the dam in this photo.

The 1971 construction of the Aswan High Dam created the massive Lake Nasser.  The lake is about 300 miles long and averages 10 miles wide.

The Aswan Dam contributes to more than half of the total power supply in Egypt. The Dam allows the flow of the Nile to be controlled and its waters to be used for irrigation of crops, drinking water and to generate hydroelectric power.

Here's an aerial view of the dam taken by NASA.

We then checked into the historic Old Cataract Hotel.

OH MY!

 Our suite...yes, I said SUITE

Bathroom has sinks on both ends and separate toilet and shower.

And best of all, this is the view from our balcony!!!

 We overlook the River Nile.

A great place to relax and spend the afternoon with our friends.

The hotel offered a tour of the suite in which Winston Churchill once stayed.

Pretty nice!!

That evening we took a small boat over to Elephantine Island just across the water from the hotel for dinner at a local restaurant.

Our Trip Leader surprised us--he had arranged with the restaurant a turkey dinner in honor of our Thanksgiving Day.

We had turkey, sweet potatoes and mashed potatoes...

and something to resemble pumpkin pie for dessert!

The next morning we took a boat passing by Elephantine Island.

 Our first destination is the abandoned Monastery of St. Simeon.

 And we will get to the hill top ruins by means of the original ships of the desert--camels!

I'm ready...

Terry is ready...

And off we go...

 Soon it is time to get off the camel.  First you lean back...

 ...and then lean forward...

 ...and jump off.  Simple as that!!

We've arrived at the monastery, constructed in the seventh century, rebuilt in the 10th...

 ...it was destroyed in 1173 by Saladin, who feared that it might serve as a refuge for Christian Nubians.

 Inside we saw the chamber where St. Simeon used to pray for hours on end.  Legend has it that he fastened his beard to the chamber's ceiling in case he fell asleep during those lengthy prayers.

 A stone pillow...ouch!

We then headed over to our temple visit of the day...the Temples of Philae.

Of course greeting us are the ever-present vendors hoping for a sale.

Colorful hats.

Similar to the plight of Abu Simbel, this temple complex was moved in order to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.

Tarek gave us the rundown of the history of the temple, with its walls covered with ancient gods and goddesses.

We frequently notice that carvings on the temples we visit are defaced.

Over the years the figures, usually the faces, have been attempted to be destroyed as they represent a pagan religion.  This one looked like it was used for target practice.

We enjoy lunch at a restaurant overlooking the river and the temples.

Our waiters demonstrate how they make the delicious bread we were served.

I barely was able to take a photo of the finished bread before it was consumed!

We then had one last afternoon and evening to enjoy this marvelous hotel and watch the feluccas sail on the water below.

The next morning we transferred to the airport and flew back to Cairo.  We say goodbye to 6 members of our group as they head home.

There are 9 of  us taking the post-trip extension to Alexandria on the shores of the Mediterranean.  We head there in the next post.

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