Egypt Day 6 - Aswan

Thursday, March 20 ~ Another early wake-up after a late evening of dancing to an interesting mix of music where "It's Raining Men" was the song to get us all on the dance floor.


After we departed the boat we had to wait with the hordes of tourists whose boats had also passed through the locks the previous day in order to enter this temple. While we waited it felt like we were cattle being driven through a small door. Everyone pushed and pushed to be the first ones in. We stood quietly waiting, resting getting ready for Amir.


This morning we docked in Kom Ombo where the Temple of Sobek exists.

Sobek is the God of the Nile who is represented as a man with the head of a crocodile. At this point it looks like all the other temples and we even tried to get out of the tour by teaching Amir many points during the party the evening before. We did a quality job of predicting what he was going to tell us.


The highlights were the mummified crocodiles



and Allyson and I taking glamor shots among the ruins.


The other was the hieroglyph of a women having a baby who was predicted to be the next king and the calendar of the ancient festivals.


We found another Nile Meter, it wasn't too exciting. So Allyson, Marco and Clive spiced up the picture by attempting to jump in.

This is a typical strip of shops outside of all the tourist sights. Inside those stores are men who will heckle nonstop.

Then we set sail for Aswan where we visited the Philae Temples. This temple looked just like the Temple of Horus, but what was really cool about this one is that originally it was completely under water, when they built the Aswan Dam. The Dam actually put 19 temples under water and the Egyptians with help from other countries have slowly been bringing them to dry ground, with no evidence of the move.


They moved the temple by building a wall around it and drained out the water. Then they disassembled the entire temple to move it to an island. Inside the temple was the Temple of Isis where her throne stills exists. While looking at this thrown we learned her importance as wife of Osiris and the one who was able to find Osiris and bring him back to life multiple times after his evil brother chopped him to pieces and sent him to float down the Nile.


Amir lecturing us about the different aspects of the temple.
From there we drove across the Aswan High Dam and stopped to take pictures of Lake Nasser. Then once again to an essence place were Allyson and I were suckers once again and now we are set with scents till we are 80. Clive again began to wander, all the way up to the top of a building and into someone's home. It made Amir a little nervous but it amused the rest of us.

The highlight of these tours was the sunset Felucca ride around the Elephatine Islands.


At one point, the driver of the Felucca handed the wheel over to Marco. He took on the job, with only a couple of faces made.


However, when I got home I realized I was so interested in the sunset and the boats on the after that I completely missed the huge boulders that look like elephants bathing.

Our last evening on the boat was interesting to say the least. There was a Nubian Show where three men continuously pulled women to the dance floor to do various movements. I successfully stayed in my chair until the end where I was pulled up by a man in a head dress, skirt and was screaming. He was scary but I have not laughed that hard in the longest time. He lined us all up to repeat a series of gibberish sayings and crazy hand movements. Michelle was really the only one to behave and so she was asked to the middle to demonstrate and teach us. She really made the show.

Egypt Day 5 - Temple of Edfu / Horus

Wednesday, March 19 ~ we finally got through the Locks at Esna during breakfast. The water had to raise 7 meters before being raised high enough to enter the other side.

It was very comforting as we watched the process to see three men use masking tape to repair something along the walls.



Later that morning we visited the Temple at Edfu, also known as the Temple of Horus. According to Amir it is the best preserved temple because it was buried for so long. However damage was done when the Egyptian Christians were vacated out of Cairo and they hid in the temple bringing in animals and they started fires which burned off a lot of the color damaging the walls and many of the interior tombs.




Every wall and column was covered with hieroglyphs. There were multiple chambers inside where some of the color had not faded off. In one of the chambers there was boat that represented how the gods of the time to the after life.
Then when we went outside were were shown where there is record of belly dancers during the time of the pharaohs. From there we walked down a steep set of steps into the Nile Meter. The Nile meter is used to measure the level of the Nile and determine the quality of the crop for the year. I was the first to walk down the steps and it was dark with everyone behind me providing no true light. I kept walking towards the little square of light where I could clearly see the Nile lapping against the walls only to find myself actually stepping into the Nile up to my ankle. Luckily I was able to warn everyone else of the potential hazard so they were able to keep their feet dry.

Afterwards Amir graciously gave us some free time to walk around and shop. The men heckled us once again as we tried to purchase outfits for our ethnic party. Allyson was much more patient then I and found an outfit. she also got asked how many camels for her hand in marriage. As a table we had said that none of us would dress up. So I didn't heckle or purchase anything. However, all their stories changed and they came back with outfits. So on the bus I decided on getting a gallabiya for the dinner. Amir told me no because the boat had to depart. I did it anyway and Clive helped me get a dress for 36 Egyptian Pounds. Plus the rest of the group decided to shop as well so I was the first one back and they held us up instead of me.



The Sunset as we floated down the Nile.


Clive, Michelle and Allyson sitting by the pool.

The evening was a lot of fun. Some people came totally decked out in costume, while others had just a shirt or turban. Our whole table dressed, even Marco and Mike.

During dinner, Sam our waiter entertained us with napkin folding tricks. I successfully made a chicken, while Sam made a lily for me and a princess crown for Allyson. Clive being funny made his napkin trick, also known as a flat triangle, and said "Look a pyramid". Sam wasn't all that amused.


Table 3 in all their glory.


At the after party we took a family picture where the Cowboy's and Indians united. Then a series of scandalous games were played including roll the potato with a string between your legs and pour a beer into your wifes lap. Clive won the potato King Crown.

Egypt Day 4 - Valley of the Kings

Tuesday, March 18 we had a 4:30 am wake-up call so that we could see the Statues of Agemenon and the Valley of the kings before boarding the boat one more time to sit and wait our turn to go through the Locks at Esna. We were all exhausted and cranky and not looking forward to learning about all of the hieroglyphics etched onto the walls and the various columns or tombs that meant certain things. However, we all got it together, boarded the bus and we were off.

In the morning as we drove toward the two statues of Agemenon there were hot air balloons scattered through the sky.
This was something I had looked into doing but it couldn't fit with our schedule on the boat. The hot air balloons were watching the sunrise over the Valley of the Kings. It is something that came highly recommended if the time was available but it would also break the bank. Eventually I will make it onto a hot air balloon to watch the sun rise or set.



The next stop was Hatshepsut's Temple at Dehl Al Barhi. It was absolutely amazing to see because I have taught so much about this temple and to actually see it was amazing. It had been completely buried for many years and there was some damage to many of the statues because Thutmosis II, wanted to remove her from history and destroyed many of her statues or at least the faces. The temple is set back a ways from the place were we were dropped off so we could take in a great view.

Her temple was modeled after a tomb that had started 500 years prior to her temple but it was never finished. Off to the left of her temple the remains of the original were still visible. In the mountainside their were multiple tombs people who were close to her and of noble blood.

This was just amusing to me. The sign reads that this tree was a present for Hatshepsut. Well the tree no longer exists, maybe it was stolen or misplaced but we want to remember it in true Egyptian form.



After Hatsheptsut we went to the Valley of the Kings, where we were able to go into four tombs and see the amazing paintings and preservation that was done for Egyptians of power in the past.
Tuthankamen's tomb was available to see but we surpassed it to view tombs that allowed us to see the stages of production, from sketching with red paint, to blue paint, to etching the stones, to finally painting with vivid colors that were able to last till today. One of the highlights was something Amir said as we were trying to board the trolleys. Instead of, the next train is ours, we got "Family Attack". This amused us for the day. As well as Marco's interpretation of what we were going to be taught during the day. "If you ask what time we are going to meet you, we will get in 6,000BC they mummified Hot Chicken Soup by pulling the brain out of the nose and then...oh yeah in one hour at the entrance."

My Tootsies after walking through the Valley of the Kings for a couple of hours. It was a little dusty.


Next stop was the Alabaster factory, where we were able to see the process of alabaster being made into a vase.

At 11:00 we had to part in the center of town to be a part of a military convoy. A few years back at Hatshepsut's temple tourists were attacked and killed. Since then there has been great protection provided. With that being said we had to sit for a half hour with 30 or more other buses waiting to be escorted to the boats waiting to pass through the Locks at Esna. When we were driving there were police on all sides of us and at every major intersection. It was slightly intense.


When we finally reached the boat, there were over 50 boats connected to each other waiting. We initally had to walk through 9 boats just to discover were were in the wrong link. But it was a nice tour of what a lot of money is able to get you. The rest of the day was spent sitting by the pool getting sun and watching Clive harass and get harassed by men on boats trying to sell their goods to us. I think he just liked to get them going and see how cheap they would go. He was quite the negotiator.

Egypt Day 3 - Luxor

Monday morning Allyson and I had a four a.m. wake up call for our flight to Luxor to meet up with our Nile Cruise group. We rolled out of bed and met Ramez in the lobby to be shuttled to the airport. When we reached the airport once again we were handed off to another of the Emeco employees. This many was fantastic. He kindly had us sit down while he took our bags and itineraries and checked us into our flight. Then we had to sit in a waiting room with all the tourists in Cairo and wait for our flight number to be yelled out and hopefully heard among the snoring and children running around. I tried to take a little nap on the handicap ramp but I wasn't too successful.


Both Allyson and I got very excited and decided right then and there that we were never going to be able to travel like normal people again. Our friend who had checked us in upgraded our seats to first class. We were so pampered I didn't even have to move my seat up and down, the stewardess did it for me so I wouldn't be woken.



Once we arrived in Luxor we were driven to our Boat the Nile Plaza. We initially drove up to the Sheraton hotel and where we got out of the van. Then we had to walk through construction and work men sitting along the nile taking a break. It was a little run down and dirty. We were really surprised at how nice the boat was once we boarded. We walked around awhile taking pictures and taking in the sights.
It was amusing to see the four life boats that were going to save us if anything was to happen.
As soon as we got on the boat we threw on our bathing suits and soaked up the sun for two hours, then joined table three four lunch.

At lunch we met Clive and Michelle, and Marco and Michael. They were all from South Africa and we spent the entire time on the boat with them, going on tours, sitting in the sun and hanging out in the evening. We even got to the point of giving each other nick names. Mainly because Clive was unable to keep our names straight and Marco when I first introduced myself thought that I said Moira and not until the third or forth meal did he realize that was not actually my name. However, it did stick for the five days whenever anyone really needed something.


Our first stop with our new group was the Temple of Karnak.

At the temple we had to walk through the avenue of the Sphinx,

between the various columns

to the open path where we were able to see Hatsheptsut's Obelisk. As we walked through the columns we could see very vivid hieroglyphs etched into the walls, some of which were still brightly colored and untouched by weather and sand.



Once Amir finally let us leave his side and venture into the temple ourselves Allyson and I went to see the Sacred Lake where the worshipers would go before entering the Temple to bath themselves and cleanse themselves of any sins that they may have.

Right in front of the lake was a statue of a scarab beetle that Amir had told us was a place to get good luck. If you walked around the scarab beetle ten times counter clockwise then a wish would come true. Allyson and I figured why not and walked with the masses whispering our wish inside our heads. Later that day we found out that walking around did not mean good luck but walking five times around actually was to increase your fertility and chances of giving birth. We are hoping that Amir was correct and not the other source.

After the Temple of Karnak, where we returned late to the bus, along with Clive and Michelle and got reprimanded by Amir we were off to the Temple of Luxor or the Roman Sanctuary depending on what time period you are referring to and what religion.
This Temple was in the center of Luxor and Allyson and I had passed it several times while we drove from the airport to various locations before reaching the boat.


It is the location of the best preserved statue of Ramses II.
At the entrance, there were four baboons underneath the massive statue, representing them laughing at sunrise and being tide to the Sun God RA.


Inside the temple at the very back, we reached the part that was modeled by the Roman's as a Sanctuary. There were no hieroglyphics present and it very much resembled paintings and statues of a Church. It was interesting to walk from one time period to another within the same walls and columns. It was a collision of religions and a true demonstration of how different buildings had been used throughout the years.