Day 6 – Thursday, February 26: Abu Simbel, Aswan Dam
We arrived in Aswan during last night, ending our Nile cruise. So today was a bus/travel day, with a long drive (about 170 miles or 3 hours each way) south to Abu Simbel. It was well worth the drive! We began our drive at 7:10, following breakfast. Again, the predictable weather provided full sun, with highs about 80. We read from Exodus 12 as we began the journey.
This morning on the way, we also heard talks about the Egyptian gods and goddesses, the 10 plagues, the Ipuwer Papyrus, the Exodus route and Mt. Sinai locations. There are over a dozen suggested locations for this mountain with Moses received the Law. About halfway into our drive we made a brief rest stop for bathrooms and coffee.
Temple of Abu Simbel (Ramses) and Nefetari’s Temple
About 10:30 we arrived to our destination. The first thing we could see was Lake Nasser Lake, an artificial lake created as a result of the creation of the Aswan Dam. The lake extends about 300 miles south well into Sudan.
Then a round the corner, one of the most incredible temples of all came into view, the Abu Simbel Temple of Ramses II! The temple is most well known for being completely rebuilt (in 1968) on higher ground (raised 185 feet from where they originally discovered it in the early 1817) after the new Aswan Dam created the large lake. Over 40 countries participated in the preservation and rebuilding of this temple. Abu Simbel was one of 33 other temples (Philae was one of them too, we will see this tomorrow) that was rescued from being submerged under water. Only the baboon figures on the top of the temple were originally exposed. It was then a Nubian nomad who was given for discovering what was below. His name was Abu Simbel.
Ramses II lived for 91 years. He reigned for 76 years. He fought many battles, including the most famous confrontation against the Hittites at Kadesh. These battles scenes are displayed on the wall reliefs inside the temple itself behind the hypostyle-like hall featuring the statues of Ramses.
The facade of the temple is impressive. Four large statues of Ramses stand 65 feet high. In the middle of these four statues is Ra, the sun god. Along with Horus, he was also seen as the god of the horizon. In the most inner room (the “Sanctuary”) are four imposing seated colossal deity statues: Ra, Amun Ra, Ptah, and a deified version of Rameses II. The temple was built with such precision that on two days a year (February 22 and October 22), the sun’s rays enter the temple, cross the main hall, and illuminate the innermost statues. In the original temple, this happened on the 21st of these two months.
Located next to the Abu Simbel temple of Ramses II is Nefetari’s temple. This temple is not as tall and impressive as Ramses’ temple. Nefetari was one of the many wives of Ramses. Inside this temple is a similar hypostyle-like hall featuring Hathor, the cow-goddess of fertility.
Following our visits of these two temples, we boarded back on the bus for our drive back north.
“It was an awesome experience to see the Abu Simbel temple in southern Egypt today. Located only 25 miles from the Sudan border, this temple was literally re-built in the precise way it was initially erected. The size of the statues of Ramses (65 feet high) was indeed impressive!”
Aswan Dam
Before heading back to the ship, we made a stop on the Great Aswan High Dam. This dam represents an engineering accomplishment of the modern Egyptians. After work began in January, 1960, it was completed in July, 1970 and officially opened in January, 1971. Anwar Sadat dedicated it then since Nassar died before the dam was finished. The dam is about three miles long and 300 feet high.
In addition, the water flowing through the dam produces hydroelectric power thanks to the construction of a power station next to the gigantic engineering work. In addition to using clean and therefore non-polluting energy, it has allowed Egypt to cover more than half of its electricity needs.
After stopping at a perfume and spice store, we returned to the boat for a Nubian presentation followed by dinner. This is the last night on the boat since tomorrow we fly back to Cairo tomorrow evening at 6:45.
Day 7 – Friday, February 27: Aswan: Temple of Philae, Nubian Village, Unfinished Obelisk/Granite Quarry, Flight to Cairo
