I've completely lost my bearings. I have no idea what day it is, what time it is, or where exactly I am. All I know is that I'm lying sun-kissed and sleepy on a Felucca somwhere on the west bank of the Nile. The full moon illuminating the night sky, while an Egyptian wedding somewhere upstream fills the air with music. Traditional food in my tummy and a bonfire being built on the sand. Heaven!
The last few days have blurred together in a whirlwind adventure as I've sampled the best of Aswan in Egypt's South (or Upper Nile just to confuse you). Our first day here saw us stagger off the train in sweltering heat, seeking temporary refuge in our hotel pool. There we met a fantastically eccentric old English lady, leathered skin dripping in gold, bleach blonde curls, and foggy heiroglyphic tattoos bearing testament to her long love affair with Egypt. She told us some great stories (she's one of the few Captains left who can smell the changing wind apparently) and gave us tips for our trip. She was just the colourful character you hope to meet on a trip like this - oh the stories you'd hear if you had the time! She wished us luck as we rushed off to meet our tour.
The afternoon took us to the enormous High Dam - a feat of modern construction and the backbone of the region's power and water infrastructure. The High Dam also caused the formation of Nasser's Lake that stretches through to the Sudan. So huge it looks like an ocean, it nearly destroyed 18 ancient monuments including the Philaen temple which we saw next. It was beautiful and while it's a shame all these ancient buildings had to be painstakingly dissected, and precisely reassembled on higher ground, it is a relief they were salvaged. And so well.
The most impressive of the lot, and as iconic as the Pyramids in Giza, is Abu Simbel. We have all seen pictures of the 4 enormous rock-hewn figures outside, but I never knew there was an expansive temple carved right into the mountain behind them. The heiroglyphics and war-scene murals are minutely detailed and promote Ramses II prowess as a warrior king. Deep within the temple, three cavernous halls back, on the farthest wall, are four more statues. The ancient Egyptian architects were so precise that when the sun would rise on the 21st of February and 21st of October every year - key dates on the Egyptian calender - it would rise on the faces on these 4 figures deep inside the temple. And only on these dates. Amazing! (Since it's been moved it now happens on the 22nd - Mum's Bday)
Ramses II also built a 2nd temple in Abu Simbel for the most beloved of his many wives - Nefertari. The 2nd temple is almost as awestriking as his own and, despite the 43 degree heat, we slowly took in every wall. It really is mind blowing.
It is no small task getting to Abu Simbel mind you. First there's the 2:15am wake-up to make it there by 7:00am while the sun is still bearable. Then there's the mandatory police escort through the desert for the 3 hour trip. And by the end of it my feet were so swollen from the heat I couldn't wear my shoes anymore. But of course, every moment was worth it. Spare a thought for the men who built these monuments, deep in the desert!
We had enjoyed a lovely Nubian dinner and show the night before so by the time we got back to the hotel we were spent. No rest yet though - there'd be plenty of time for that on the felucca. We boarded our little boat in the afternoon and, after a brief stop off at Kitchener's Island botanical gardens, we commenced our 2 night cruise. As we zig-zagged our way up the Nile, lounging on the mattress deck under the crouch-size canopy, listening to the sounds of the river (a donky eey-awwing, boys playing soccer on the banks, a fish plopping nearby) I was glad we hadn't upgraded to a noisy cruise ship. The Felucca is basic but authentic and just how the Nile should be admired.
At night we visited a Nubian house whose western-style amentities we used gratefully. More apple shisha and I slept like a baby, waking only once - to a burnt orange sunrise in the morning. Divine.
After another half day sailing in the sun I was ready for a swim. I shook off the microseconds hesitation for swimming in the Nile - no longer home to crocodiles, but supposedly host to some nasty parasites - and dived straight in. It was so inviting and luscious we even had the Aussie doctor in our group swimming in no time!
I spent the rest of today finishing a must-read book - Eric Weiner's The Geography of Bliss. Pop out and buy it at lunch - wery witty and appropriate for anyone who loves travel and the pursuit of happiness.
... I've just come back from dancing around the bonfire with my new-found Aussie friends (we're EVERYWHERE) and am snuggled under my mozzie net under the watchful gaze of the full moon and it's sidekick of the African skies - Jupiter. Thinking about my Aussie family and friends who are just waking up.
Happy Birthday Mama!
Give my Harvey Bear a huge cuddle - I miss him so much.
xxx
P.S. The Mexican doesn't think he's getting enough airplay in my blog. To quote him - "you sound like you're here alone". Let me just say he's the best travel buddy ever. I'd be lost on this trip without him and am so glad our paths have crossed again after first meeting while volunteering together in Tanzania. We've taken to telling the street sellers we're Russian and then talking in fake Russian, which inevitably ends up with us rolling around in peels of laughter and the sellers backing away from the two crazy people. He's also made it his mission to see just how many camels he can get for me - today it was 2 million, while yesterday the highest offer was only 2! He's an awesome mate and his "peace and love" life philosophy is rubbing off on me. Ok, we're off for a cocktail before our hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings in the morning. T.I.A!
Oh Esther, how wonderfully you describe Egypt. I can feel the heat and smell the food when reading your blog. One thing you didn't mention is the traffic. Venturing across a main thoroughfare on foot was an act of heroism when we were there. Keep writing, please.
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