Lovely
buffet breakfast. I have one egg over easy, toast, mini pineapple pastry, pineapple juice, coffee. The Movenpick is a great hotel and I really wished I had booked 2 nights here instead of just the one night. Highly recommend.
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Breakfast
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Views from breakfast
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| Lobby/reception-Movenpick |
Today we fly to
ABU SIMBEL. On the way to the airport we pass the low and high dams, the bunkers that protect the dams, Muslim cemetery. Our Egypt Air flight is #132 departs 9:50 am. As requested Freelancers has arranged for me to have a window seat on the left side of the plane. Richard is next to me with an aisle seat. Small plane for a short 30 minute flight. I am able to see the temples and take some pictures. Not being a pro the pictures turn out so-so.
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| On the way to the airport |
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| Aswan High Dam |
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Aswan International Airport
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| Shuttle bus takes us to the plane for boarding |
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Not that great a picture but it was amazing to see it from the plane
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We are met at the airport in Abu Simbel. Our driver is Mohamed and our guide is Mahmoud. We arrive to our hotel,
SETI FIRST and I realize I left my camera on the plane! The driver goes back to get it. Luckily it was turned in and he returns with my camera. I gave him a bit of an extra tip! Our room is #408. Basic but clean. That's most important to me. A view of Lake Nasser. Since we have time before our excursion to the temples we decide to relax in the
swimming pool. There are only a few others staying here the same time as us. Two couples from New Zealand.
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Our hotel
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Lobby/reception
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Pool table
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| Our room #408 |
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Comfy beds
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Bathroom
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| Balcony |
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Views of Lake Nasser from our balcony
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Pool
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| Richard is all smiles! |
At 4:30 pm Mohamed picks us up to take us to the
Abu Simbel temples. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Looks like it was built from the cliffs which overlook Lake Nasser. This is not its original location. Because of the building of the Aswan High Dam it had to be moved or it would have been completely under water. I can only imagine what a task that was! I bought several postcards and a book. Mohamed explains he can't go inside the temples with us but will explain what we will see when we enter both temples. I don't really understand why since it's just us and he wouldn't be talking over anybody but....... I bought postcards and a book.
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Book I bought
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Postcard
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Postcard
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Postcard
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Admission ticket
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First we will see the
SUN TEMPLE RAMSES II. Richard and I are the only ones here! Fantastic. The great sun temple epitomizes the monumentalism of the New Kingdom when Ramses II (1304-1237 BC) waged colonial wars from the Beka'a Valley to the Fourth Cataract. To impress his power and majesty on the Nubians he had 4 gigantic statues of himself hewn from the mountainside. His stare confronted travelers as they entered Egypt from Africa. Dedicated to Ra-Herakhte, Amun-Re, and Ptah. 13th century BC. Built by Ramses II to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Qadesh. Almost completely buried by sand until 1813. Eventually it was finally cleared and then became the highlight of Thomas Cook's Nile cruises. The prospect of losing Abu Simbel to Lake Nasser impelled UNESCO to organize to save these monuments in the 1960s. We're here by ourselves for over 30 minutes until the 4 New Zealanders arrive.
Exterior facts. The face of the temple is dominated by 4 enthroned colossi of Ramses II. The fallen pieces were placed as they had been at the original site. It was decided not to try to reassemble those pieces so one face is absent. It was damaged in an earthquake. The 2 statues flanking the main door have little statues of the royal family. The pharaoh's mother Muttuy; Queen Nefertari; Prince Amunherkhepshef. On the left side of this same figure an inscription records that Greek mercenaries participated in the Nubian campaign of the Saite king Psammetichus II around 590 BC. The facade also has inside a niche a statue of Re-Herakhte holding a was scepter and a figure of Maat. The flanking reliefs of the king presenting the god with images of Maat actually signify Ramses honoring his deified self. Crowning the facade are baboons worshipping the rising sun. Rows of captives.
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Ramses' legs on the left-Queen Nefertari
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Re-Herakhte holding a was scepter-symbol of strength-in his right hand and the Maat symbol of justice in his left hand
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| Baboons at the top of the facade raising their hands to greet and welcome the rising sun |
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| Symbol of union-God of the Nile Hapi ties the lotus flower of the south and the papyrus of the north around the windpipe and lungs which read "Sma-Tawi" |
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| African captives |
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Interior. Hypostele Hall. Flanked on either side by 4 pillars fronted by statues of Ramses in the Osiris position carrying the crook and flail. Ceiling-flying vultures. Walls-scenes from his campaigns from Syria to Nubia. Ramses killing Hittite and Nubian captives before Amun-Re and Re-Herakhte accompanied by his sons and daughters and his ka. Another wall depicts the Battle of Qadesh on the river Orontes 1300 BC. Another wall shows Ramses storming a Syrian fortress in his chariot, lancing a Libyan, and returning with chained Nubians. Rear wall shows him presenting the captives to Amun, Mut, and himself. Central Sanctuary has 4 cult-statues (Ra-Herakhte, Amun-Re, Ptah, and Ramses II) that are touched by the sun's rays at dawn on February 22 and October 22. The figure of Ptah-connected with the underworld-is situated so that it alone remains in darkness when the sun illuminates the others. In front of them is a stone block where the sacred barque once rested. I was surprised to learn that the "mountain" is really a constructed dome.
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| Ramses II in the Osirid shape in the first Hypostyle Hall |
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| Ceiling-Nekbet vultures |
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| Sacred boat of Amun-Re |
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Ramses II in his chariot followed by 6 of his sons in 3 chariots attacking Syrian fortress
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Ramses II smiting African captures in front of Amun-Re while images of his army officer sons appear below
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From my book-Battle of Kadesh-Ramses ordering his army generals
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Battle of Kadesh
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Battle of Kadesh
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From my book-Kadesh, the Hittites capital which lies on the Owrantus River in Syria and surrounded by 3 canals of water to stop the enemies from getting in
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HATHOR TEMPLE OF QUEEN NEFERTARI. Smaller. Chief consort/favorite wife of Ramses II. Statues of the king and queen. Pillars decorated with scenes of the queen playing the sinistrum and gods Horus, Khnum, Khonsu, Thoth. The Great Hall is supported by 6 square Hathor pillars. On the aisle face is a sistrum. The other sides of the pillars are decorated by Nefertari holding sistrum and flowers. We again are the only ones here. The temple guardian lets us hold the Key to the Temple.
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It was so cool to hold the Key to the Temple
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| Great Hall |
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| Nefertari with sistrum |
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| Nefertari offers flowers and sistrum to Hathor |
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| Ramses II with Nefertari smiting African captive in front of Horus |
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| Nefertari crowned by Isis and Hathor |
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Leaving the temple complex
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We are supposed to see the sound and light show here but since we are the only ones it will not be held. Bummer.
Back at the hotel we have a nice evening swim before dinner. The folks from New Zealand join us in the pool.
Dinner is at 8:00 pm. Broth and rice soup, salad of cold beets and chopped tomatoes, bowl of pasta with sauce and cheese, choice of entree. Richard has Lake Nasser fish grilled. I had the beef slices which were very tough-not tender at all. The other choice was chicken which I probably should have taken. Rice, peas and carrots. Water, beer, coke. Dessert-a sample of 4-5 cakes, baklava. Way too much food in this kind of heat!
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| Dinner |
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| Couples from New Zealand |
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