Thursday, November 29, 2018

Arriving at the Aswan Dam......

We docked early in Aswan after our 3 days on Lake Nasser......but before we could disembark definitively from our boat we had another temple to visit!

We actually got there so early the place was locked! It was only 7am!

But not to worry.......the keys were being rowed over.... as quickly as possible!
The building on the right represents a lotus flower and was a present from Russia... in friendlier days!!

The Temple of Kalabsha was quite interesting.......




....... finally back to the boat ..... for breakfast!!

We then checked out of our Lake Nasser boat and went across the Aswan Dam......




And then ...... another temple......on the Philae islands

Again we had to go across by a small boat......




Relaxation on Lake Nasser.....

Three days on a boat is a little long for me....... but we did stop and go on land a few times!  Mainly to check some other relocated temples!

Our early morning departure from Abu Simbel gave a very good view of both temples......showing their immense size!
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Then several hours later we stopped to view what was left of an abandoned temple Qasr Ibrim, the only temple on its original site!
No need to disembark!


Then we went to check out another temple, the Temple of Amada,  which had also been relocated.....

 ....it looked a little basic from the exterior......

....however the interior was extremely interesting......


The 2 hour walk in exceptionally hot weather was a little daunting..... but a welcome change to just being on board!

Next morning, very early, we also disembarked for another 2 hour walk..... before the day became too hot!
We visited two temples.... first Wadi El Seboua.... also known as the Valley of the Lions....


... and then we went on to the Temple of Dakka, some people opting to take a tractor ride..... it was 2 kms and HOT!



Obviously Egypt had no shortage of temples being relocated....in the foreground is another as yet unassembled!

Tuesday, November 27, 2018

Abu Simbel....

This was a 'not negotiable'  on my list of what to see in Egypt! The temple is huge and it was moved upwards by 250m when the Aswan Dam was being built so that it wasn't flooded. Unbelievable!

We flew to Aswan and then drove to Abu Simbel..... on essentially the main road to Sudan...



...Abu Simbel is actually not far from the border. The road wasn't hugely interesting........ very little traffic.


....however it did have hills on either side which looked rather like the pyramids!  Perhaps the idea came from here!

Arriving at the dock area we checked out our accommodation for the next 3 nights....... the level of Lake Nasser has gone down a lot in the last few years and so they can't now use the actual dock area! Climate change??


Then we walked to the site....... which was amazing....






And right at the back were the 4 figures which are lit up by the sun once a year... except for the God of darkness on the left!
We also visited the smaller temple....
This was also amazing inside!

We stayed on to see the Son et Lumiere show which was spectacular!