Aswan & Abu Simbel

We disembarked from the ship and after a short flight (1pm to 1:40pm) from Aswan we arrived in Abu Simbel (further south near the North Sudan border). It currently sits next to Lake Nasser, the lake created created by the "new" Aswan dam, completed in 1970. 

We stayed at the Seti Abu Simbel Hotel. We spent an afternoon and evening viewing Abu Simbel by daylight and later with a light show and narrative. It is hard to believe but the site was moved from its original location is now under Lake Nasser (formed by the upper / high dam). The carved temples were cut into more than 1000 blocks weighing 30 tons each, moved 65 meters up and 200 meters inland and reassembled. 

The light show and narrative was the best on this trip.

The next morning we were on an early flight back to Aswan and our lodging at the Old Cataract Hotel. 

We passed by the Aswan Low Dam or Old Aswan Dam. It was finished 1902 but was not effective in reducing flooding and supporting irrigation in the Nile delta (even with two height increases).

The Old Cataract Aswan Hotel on the Nile, opened also in 1902. The decor is impressive as are the views over the Nile. Agatha Christie stayed here in 1937 and, inspired by the Nile views, wrote "Death on the Nile".

At the nearby Nubian Museum we viewed artifacts from the Nubian people  who indigenous to  Egypt and northern Sudan.

Clockwise from top left: 

• Ushabtis were placed in tombs among the grave goods and were intended to act as servants or minions for the deceased, should they be called upon to do manual labor in the afterlife. 
• Meroitic Nubian pottery often featured intricate painted or incised designs (patterns like basket weaves or animal scales or like below an image of a crocodile.)
• Illustrations of ancient Egyptian boats and ships
• A block statue depicting the ancient Egyptian official Harwa, the Chief Steward of the "God's Wife of Amun,"  
• Artifacts from 3100 BCE to 2200 BCE
• Artifacts from 2400 BCE to 1500 BCE
• Artifacts from 4000 to 2000 BCE

After the museum we went to a spice shop and market.

The next day we visited to the Unfinished Obelisk. It is believed that it was commissioned by Hatshepsut for the temple of Amun in Karnak. It was the largest ever conceived and during extraction it cracked due to flaws and was buried by sand for thousands of years.

Later we visited the Aswan Dam or Aswan High Dam - built between 1960 and 1970 and has been successful in managing the flow of the Nile. Lake Nasser extends south from the dam past Abu Simbel and  into Sudan. 

Clockwise from top left:

• Soviet-Egyptian Friendship Monument in Aswan, Egypt. The monument commemorates the assistance provided by the Soviet Union in the construction of the Aswan High Dam. It was erected in 1967
• Looking North (down river) from the dam
• Us looking South (Aswan, Luxor and Cairo are behind us)
• Lake Nasser (Abul Simbel and Sudan are south from here)

We enjoyed the nice views of Aswan from a sail that started near our hotel.

Clockwise from top left:

• A felucca (typical Nile sailing vessel)
• Qubbet el-Hawa necropolis (or "Dome of the Wind") serves as the resting place of nobles and priests from ancient Egypt. The necropolis was in use until the Roman Period)
• Sofitel Legend Old Cataract in  Aswan 
• Traditional Nubian village
• Natural rock formation on the bank of the Nile
• The Mausoleum of Aga KhanIII, the 48th Imam of the Ismaili Muslims)

During the sail we stopped at the Botanic Garden, located on an Island in the Nile, and had a pleasant walk through the greenery.

Another evening at a French Restaurant, this time it is the 1902 in the Old Cataract. The food was OK but we thought the breakfast service here was better than the evening service.

Next day we toured a Village accessed by boat with more opportunities to view life along the Nile. 

We visited a home with a pet crocodile and turtle in West Al Kazan. To get to the house  we wandered along a shopping street.

After lunch we returned to the Old Cataract passing an osprey perched along the river.

The next morning we were off to Jordan and, other than some craziness at the very backed up Cairo airport security checkpoint, we had a nice flight on Jordanian Air to Amman.

Nile Cruise

We got to sleep-in before our mid-day transfer to the Lazuli Karnak Dahabia (a traditional Nile cruise boat) in Esna. While the other travelers toured the Karnak site and Valleys of the King and Queen (you may recall we visited these the day before), we had lunch on board. 

After our fellow passengers arrived we began our journey south (up-river) on the Nile with an assist from a tugboat. Later we noticed that when time allowed we sailed (very slowly). The shore varied from desert to green along the river but the desert was never very far away. 

Our destination was El-Hegz where we had dinner and overnighted.

Next day we sailed to El-Kaab, an ancient Egyptian city known for its well-preserved temple ruins, rock-cut tombs, and fortifications. It was dedicated to the goddess Nekhbet, the vulture goddess.

Next we visited the Temple of Edfu, built between 237 and 57 BC and dedicated to the falcon god Horus, it has grand columns and  intricate hieroglyphics.

We continued onward to Fawaza Island for a BBQ and dancing. When we returned to our room we discovered that our towels were now a heart shaped sculpture lit with little candles. And young Amy's was an elephant with stuffed animal friends.

The next sail took us to Bassaw / Bisaw fishing village where we toured the village . Afterwards we had a boat ride with the fishermen where we "caught" fish and crayfish. We tasted some of one family's work, some fresh baked bread.

Upon our return to the ship, we had the opportunity to swim/play in the river. 

We lunched while sailing to Djebej Selsrla where we visited the Temple of Horemheb and a renowned Quarry, the main source of sandstone for many temples and buildings throughout Ancient Egypt, including Karnak and Luxor. The temple  features rock-cut shrines, stelae, and inscriptions 

We sailed on to visit Kom Ombo, a temple dedicated to two gods—Sobek (the crocodile god) and Horus (the falcon god); The temple has well-preserved reliefs, a museum of ancient, mummified crocodiles and a nilometer (top right),. Nilometers were used to measure the clarity and water level of the Nile's annual flood. The readings were crucial for agricultural purposes, determining the expected harvest and assessing taxes for the year. 

We continued to Herdiab Village (one of the oldest villages on the Nile with traditional trade life and farming methods)" for visit with much less of a touristy feel. We saw fresh dates, burros, a husked fruit vine and houses proclaiming their Hag (trip to Mecca) with paintings on their houses including details of their transportation.  Apparently one family has special connections and managed to arrange unique transportation...see bottom left.

We stopped for dinner and breakfast on land on an island near Aswan. The sunset over the water was great.

 

We next sailed to Aswan, our final destination. In the late afternoon and evening we visited the Temple of Philae on the Island of Agilka. This was one of the last places to worship the ancient Egyptian religion after Christianity appeared in 550AD. It is dedicated to the goddess Isis.

 The temple was moved to its new location in the 70's to save it from the raising waters from the new Aswam dam, an amazing engineering feat. Trust me, to our naive eyes, you wouldn't know it wasn't in its original location and its natural weathered state. 

We relaxed and had tea at the Old Nubian Guesthouse while waiting for the evening sound and light show at Philea Temple.

We  completed our cruise and it was time  to disembark...but we needed a couple last photos.

Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens

After the flight to Luxor we were transferred to Sofitel Winter Palace. We explored the extensive grounds. A nice place to hold special events (see the colorful decorations on the bottom left). Carriages are available for rides around the city.

We ventured across the street to the Fish House Restaurant on the Nile and partook of some excellent fish dishes and more Egyptian wine.

We caught a horse carriage outside our hotel for the ride to Luxor Temple. 

Luxor Temple is impressive for its massive stone columns, statues, and detailed graphics. Built around 1400 BC, it was primarily dedicated to the god Amun. Note: Amun was more or less the Sun God from southern Egypt, while Ra was the Sun God of the north. When the kingdoms combined, so did the Gods with the Sun God being named Amun-Ra. 

The Mosque of Abu Haggag, founded in the 13C AD is built on top of the Luxor Temple complex. It was constructed on the foundations of earlier structures, including what appears to have been a church built over the pharaonic temple. It is a testament to the continuous tradition of worship at the site for over 34 centuries. It showcases the layering of different civilizations and faiths over time. And it remains an active mosque

Clockwise from the top left: 

• Abu Haggag Mosque.
• Column at entrance to Luxor Temple.
• Statues and columns.
• The queen of Ramesses II was Nefertari, whose name translates to "The most beautiful one, beloved of Mut". She was his Great Royal Wife and was highly regarded, often depicted in monuments alongside him. See carving by the lower leg of the Pharaoh...as usual.
• Bas-relief carving depicting the Battle of Kadesh, specifically showing Pharaoh Ramses II on his chariot.
• Overview of Luxor Temple.
• Sphinx, one of many lining the 1.7 mile avenue between Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple.  
  

Later we walked back to the Temple for some evening photos. Clockwise from top left: 

• Ramesses II and his wife, Queen Nefertari.
• Columns. 
• Bas-relief carving with hieroglyphic and figures. 
• Avenue of Sphinxes in front of Luxor Temple. 
• 2 views of the temple at night. 
• Bas-relief carving of a pharaoh or official presenting an offering. 

That evening we had snacks at the hotel with Egyptian wine (a cabernet sauvignon). 

Our morning tour to the Karnak Temple. More columns, edifices, and towers with  stories carved in the stone. The temple is dedicated primarily to the gods Amun-Ra, Montu, and Mut. Karnak Temple grew over 1,000 years (nearly every king added to it) to become the largest and most significant religious site in Ancient Egypt. Impressive. 

• Lots of impressive columns (1 with a carved cartouche. An aisle of columns ...as I recall it was a field of columns 4-6 wide and 10-12 long. 
• Heavily decorated columns.
• 2 Wall carvings.
• A wooden model of a solar barque (ceremonial boat) with the ram heads of the Egyptian god Khnum. 
• Avenue of Sphinxes at entrance of Karnak temple. 
• Center: Obelisk of Thutmose I.

and more...

We dined at the French Restaurant - 1886 in the hotel. They supply jackets for those of us who do not carry one on vacation. Food was very good.

We wandered a bit at sunset and caught a nice photo of the Mosque of Abu Haggag built within Luxor Temple. Next morning our view over the river included a bevy of balloons. 

We spent the day west of the Nile in the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens. 

About Valley of the Kings & the Valley of the Queens, there are no pyramids in either; instead, Pharaohs & Queens were buried in rock-cut tombs carved into the mountainside. 

We explored several tombs with colorful art telling stories of the lives they were built to honor. 

Tomb KV2 is the burial site of Pharaoh Ramesses IV is notable for vibrant, well-preserved decorations from various funerary texts like the Book of the Dead. The tomb, excavated in the early 20th century, is significant for its astronomical ceiling and has historical use as a dwelling by Coptic Christians, who left numerous graffiti inside. 

Ramesses IV was the second son of Ramesses III and became crown prince when his elder brother Amenherkhepshef died when Ramesses was only 12 years old. Despite the 31-year reign of his father Ramesses III, Ramesses IV was only 21 when he became pharaoh, and only reigned for six and a half years. His rule has been dated to 1155 to 1149 BC.

Tomb KV6 is the burial site of Pharaoh Ramesses IX who reigned from approximately 1129 to 1111 BC. The tomb is known for its long, straight corridor and distinctive starry, midnight-blue ceiling. Although intended as a grand resting place, it was completed in haste, resulting in a beautifully decorated entrance corridor and a less-finished burial chamber. 

Tomb KV16 is the burial site of Pharaoh Ramesses I. Due to his short reign, the tomb is one of the smallest royal tombs, but it features decorated walls with scenes from the Book of Gates and contains a red quartzite sarcophagus (circa 1292–1290 BCE). The walls are decorated with paintings showing the king with his gods, and the inscriptions and scenes are from the Book of Gates, a travel guide for the after life.

Tomb KV17, the tomb of Pharaoh Seti I, made of white limestone, is considered the most magnificently decorated tomb in the Valley of the Kings. It has stunningly preserved painted reliefs and scenes. The burial chamber has a vaulted, astronomical ceiling depicting constellations, a first for the tombs of the pharaohs. The tomb contains various funerary texts that were meant to guide Seti I through the afterlife. It was started by Seti, and later completed by his son Ramesses II.

On the way to the Valley of the Queens, we visited the Hatshepsut Mortuary. It is closer to the Valley of the Kings, than the Valley of the Queens ...because she was a King. Keep reading. Hatshepsut was the daughter of Thutmose I and Great Royal Wife, Ahmose. Upon the death of Hatshepsut's husband and half-brother Thutmose II, she ruled as regent to her stepson, Thutmose III, who inherited the throne at the age of two. In order to establish herself in the Egyptian patriarchy, she took on traditionally male roles and was depicted as a male pharaoh. She emphasized both the qualities of men and women to convey the idea that she was both a mother and father to the realm. Hatshepsut's reign was a period of great prosperity and general peace. 

This is a stunning, multi-tiered temple. Unlike other temples, this one was carved into the cliffs and features unique ramps connecting its three levels, with reliefs depicting her reign and divine birth. 

Continuing onto the Valley of the Queens, we stopped to spend some time shopping for Alabaster.

Unfortunately the Tomb of Nefertar was not open. It is sad as it's considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved tombs in all of Egypt. That said, we saw so many impressive tombs it is impossible to keep them straight. We hope the following notes will help.

Tomb QV 52 is the Tomb of Queen Titi. She was wife and sister of Ramesses III and possibly the mother of Ramesses IV. Her titles show that she was the daughter, sister, wife, and mother of kings. The tomb features a corridor, side chambers, a hall, and a burial chamber decorated with colorful reliefs of the queen and various gods, though some have faded over time. The ceilings in some chambers are decorated with a delicate pattern of white stars on a golden background. 

The Ramesses III Mortuary Temple, aka Temple of Medinet Habu, is a temple and not in the Valley of the Kings, so it has no KV number. 

 Ramesses III has been described as a "warrior Pharaoh" due to his strong military campaigns. He defeated the invaders known as "the Sea Peoples" and protected them from invasions by the Libyans. The temple decorations show Ramses Ill in military & hunting scenes, in addition to religious scenes such as the king worshipping the deities. 

The Temple was dedicated to performing his funeral rituals and the rituals of worshiping the god Amun.It is surrounded by a huge wall built of mud bricks with two guard rooms, and in the middle of the wall is a great gate known as the Gate of Ramses Ill or the High Gate. The temple also includes the remains of a royal palace, storehouses, temple administration buildings, and royal stables. It also contains many columns, some of which are round with papyrus-shaped tops. 

Lunch was a traditional Egyptian meal on a Felucca (pulled by another boat). No wind. No sailing. 

We are now ready for our Nile cruise to Aswan.