Under the Sea, the Red Sea - Dahab, Egypt

Destination: Dahab, Egypt

Number of Days Spent:  7 days

Where we stayed:   We stayed at Seventh Heaven for one night (40 Egyptian pounds - $8) but moved because the fan in our non-AC room was way too weak to compete with the Egyptian heat.  We spent the next six nights at Penguin Village which had excellent AC but very salty water (60 Egyptian pounds - $13).  We weren't really impressed with the staff either, they were pretty lazy and non-responsive.  There was a good Thai restaurant right next to Seven Heaven though, don't miss it if you are missing spicy Thai food & in the area (good curry, medium pad thai). 

Who we dove with:  Big Blue Diving - We would dive with them again.  The equipment was in good condition & the dive master was professional.  We paid around $30 per dive with all equipment including a trip to Ros Mohammed & Thistlegorm (with transport to Sharm).   While we enjoyed our dives here, in particularly the Canyon, there is a lot of damage to the reefs near town so check around before deciding which sites to go to.   

Best restaurant:   El Asseel (just behind the New Sphinx Hotel) had the BEST falafel we have had yet.  The sandwiches included fresh bread, tasty falafel, Arabic salad and spicy tahini for 3 pounds ($.65).  One was a great snack and two a filling meal.  The Sea Bride Restaurant had excellent fresh calamari & shrimp for bargain prices.  Recommended by a local it wasn't on the beach but what it lacked in atmosphere it made up for with excellent food.  The prices were excellent with a 1/4 kilo of grilled or fried calamari for 30 Egyptian pounds ($6) or a 1/4 kilo of shrimp for 55 Egyptian pounds ($11).  All dinners included fish soup, a huge plate of Arabic salad, tahini, baba ghanoush (sp?), a spicy sauce for the seafood, rice & pita bread. Other honorable mentions go to Penguin or Funny Mummy for a great seaside atmosphere complete with pillows, terrific milkshakes (for Tracy it was banana and for Jason chocolate - a whopping 15 pounds each - $3) & sheesha (5 Egyptian - $1), Nirvana Indian restaurant for channa masala, King Chicken for their 1/2 chicken meal big enough for two (23 pounds including 1/2 a roasted chicken, Arabic salad, tahini & bread) & the Thai place with no name (look for the signs and go up the steps) near Seventh Heaven for curries (sadly the pad thai was missing cilantro & bean sprouts but would have been excellent if that was included).  Yeah, we ate a lot in Dahab.  We could practically feel our waistlines expanding once again :-)

Best of:  Big fluffy pillows, endless hookah, cool ocean breezes, good diving and snorkeling at the infamous Blue Hole & Canyon.  The atmosphere here is so relaxed and a stroll along the boardwalk is relatively stress free compared to other tourist hot spots in Egypt.

Worst of:  The tap water in Dahab is really salty.  All of the hotels have the same problem but I think that ours was definitely one of the worst...soap refused to lather and after stepping out of the shower it felt like a film covered your body).  As much as we hated to leave we really started to look forward to a proper shower with fresh water.

Most Memorable:   Night diving in the Canyon watching the phosphoresce all aglow like twinkling little stars, only at 30 meters (nearly 100 feet) down. 

Useful Tip:   All the restaurants along the water are overpriced and quite similar in offerings and price.  With so many restaurants and so few tourists, negotiating your meal is possible.  For example, what if I bring a couple of people along, can we get free appetizers?  How about dessert?  Free apple Hookah?  Nearly all will offer some sort of "hook" to keep you coming back or give them a try in the first place.  Of course, walking one block away from the ocean will bring the prices down drastically and the afore mentioned couple of restaurants served up much better fare than what we had on the strip.

Take a deep breath.  1, 2, 3.  Ok now exhale.  That's it...let it all out.  One more time.  And again.  Now imagine some ocean waves lapping gently up against the rocks.  Can you hear it?  Good.  Are you in a comfy place?  A couple of soft, fluffy pillows perhaps?  Perfectly relaxed?  Good.  Now let's begin.

We arrived from Luxor after 22 grueling hours on a bus.  Not what we had in mind when we boarded (it was advertised as a 14 hour ride).  Four passport checks at government checkpoints and inexplicably five ticket checks (One would think that checking the ticket once you boarded would be good enough) prevented us from having a decent nights sleep.  Deep breath. 1, 2, 3.

Good thing we stepped off the bus in Dahab and not Cairo.  This somewhat sleepy town has been a backpacker refuge for several decades is now attracting independent travelers to its relaxed and pleasant atmosphere.  While Sharm el-Sheikh has become a package tourist destination complete with hundreds of high rises vying for every square inch of waterfront property, Dahab has somehow managed to avoid most of the commercialization (sparing a few hotels just outside of town).  We were hoping for exactly this type of atmosphere when we decided to save Dahab for last on our tour of Egypt.     

The Nile may have its Pyramids and Temples, but the Sinai Peninsula attracts its fair share of tourists as well.  But it's not what is on land that draws most of the attention, but what lies in the water just off shore.  The area has long been considered one of the top dive and snorkeling centers in the world.  With an abundance of natural corals, unique underwater formations and scores of ship wrecks, the area has a little something for everyone.    Without further ado here are some of our photos from our week of diving (sans Ros Mohammed & Thistlegorm which are on another post):

 

In addition to diving, we spent our evenings hanging out with friends, eating tons of falafel & seafood, enjoying the fluffy pillows at the seaside restaurants and partaking in our fair share of apple sheesha.  Relaxing...yes...healthy...certainly not.  Good thing it only lasted a week! 

  

To see more photos of Dahab click here!

Raiding King's Tombs and snacking on Falafel stuffed Aish: Luxor, Egypt

Destination: Luxor, Egypt

Number of Days Spent:  3 days

Where we stayed:  Oasis Hotel (50 EP/$8), not to be confused with the Nubian Oasis Hotel across the street.  Helpful owners, huge private room w/ A/C, reasonably clean for the price.  Only drawback are the multiple flights of stairs you have to take to get to your room and then to the rooftop patio.  Consider it your morning workout.

Best restaurant:    The falafel stand across the street from Luxor temple near McDonalds was an excellent choice for a cheap meal (2EP/$.25 per sandwich), they will try and take advantage of you on the price, just point at the Arabic sign and say "2 pound".     

Best of:  Reading like a who's who of Egyptian greats - the Valley of Kings, Queens and Nobles housed the likes of Ramses II, King Tut and several other greats.  Karnak Temple is the largest religious structure ever to be built and is awe inspiring even til this day.

Worst of:   The light show is overpriced for what it is.

Most Memorable:    Our hotel gave us directions to the Aish bakery (bread).  For mere pennies we got piping hot pita bread fresh from the hole in the wall bakery...literally a hole in the wall.  Something about lining up with the locals that makes you feel like you hit a jackpot.

Useful Tip:   Avoid the taxis & carriages and take the microbus whenever possible.  They circle around town all day long and are numerous.  Hail one down and ask if they will take you to your destination i.e. Karnak.  Travel across town for $.25!  Remember to confirm the price before getting in.  Ask at your hotel so you know how much it should cost and then insist on that price or wait for the next one.  NOTE - they will honor this price even at night when the taxi touts are circling.  You just have to know what you're looking for and what the price should be. 

Luxor, or ancient Thebes, is arguably the best collection of Egyptian history in one spot.  No where else is there such a vast collection of tombs, temples and royal palaces.  Like modern day Paris or New York, Thebes represented THE place to live and die.  Pharaohs would have their eternal resting places constructed on the western bank while constructing and expanding temples on the eastern bank of the Nile.  The greatest of pharaohs like Ramses II and Hatshepsut (one of the rare female pharaohs) to name a couple, would have temples built and dedicated in their honor immortalizing themselves as gods.  The results of their efforts have mostly been preserved thanks to the shifting sands of the Saharan Desert.  Covered under layers upon layers of sand and time, many of these "eternal homes" have been unearthed in recent years revealing hoards of jeweled treasures...most notably the famous King Tut.  Perhaps the best is yet to come however as this area is still scattered with scores of teams of archeologists scouring the earth, looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack and the next big score.

We started our time in Luxor on the living side, the East bank with the Temple Complex of Karnak.  Covering over 2 square kilometers, this complex was worked on, destroyed, rebuilt and expanded over the course of 1500 years.  During the New Kingdom era (around 1500-1000 B.C.E.) the temple reached its zenith.  The capital was relocated from Memphis (near Modern Cairo) to Thebes and the temple became the most important in all of Egypt.  With Egypt expanding its borders and wealth flowing in, the pharaohs would add more and more to the temple.  Records on the walls indicate that over 81,000 people worked and lived on and for the temple.  Because nearly all the pharaohs would add to the complex, wandering through the temple is like taking a crash course in Egyptian architectural style of the New Kingdom Era.  The deeper you venture, the older the temple gets. 

The "youngest" part of the temple are the row of Sphinxes just outside the main entrance dating to around 500 B.C.E.  At one time, these statues stretched in a row from Karnak all the way to Luxor temple, three kilometers away.  The path was used as part of a ceremony to honor the gods during harvest time.  Today, there are few of these statues left between the two great temples but the governor of Luxor has grandioso plans and is attempting to clean out and restore the path to its original glory. 

Near the center of the complex stands one of the greatest religious monuments ever constructed - the Great Hypostyle Hall.  Consisting of 134 massive concrete pillars, the hall is large enough to fit the two largest churches in existence today combined.  Each pillar is intricately carved and topped with papyrus shaped caps.  Much like the lotus pedal is to Buddhism, the Egyptians believed that the mound of life sprang from the waters of the Nile surrounded by a swamp of papyrus reeds.  Most of the columns were erected by none other than the great Ramses II, finishing off where his father, Seti I had left off.

 

Beyond the Hypostyle Hall lies another highlight of the complex, the Obelisk of Hatshepsut.  In a country with what would seemingly be hundreds of Obelisks, the Obelisk of Hatshepsut is the largest of them all.  Not sure if that includes all of the obelisks that have been hauled off to other countries, but as far as we know, it's the largest in Egypt anyway's.

 

 

After careful deliberation, we decided that we would spring for one night show while in Egypt.  All the major temples have some sort of show at night.  When we read in Lonely Planet that the one at Karnak was something akin to a Hollywood spectacle, we could not resist the temptation.  At $20 a pop, the ultra kitsch show lacked in show stopping special effects one would expect.  The hour and a half "show" was more like a narrated walk through the temple at night.  The only saving grace is that you get a chance to see the temple lit up at night giving it an eerie feeling.  Perhaps they can take the extra money and hire Steven Spielberg to spiff it up a bit.  At the very least they could take the money and pay the guards a decent wage so they wouldn't have to resort to asking for "baksheesh."  

Back in town and just up the bank from the Nile lies Luxor Temple.  The temple was built as somewhat of a "summer" home for the gods normally residing at Karnak.  During the annual floods, the shrines to the gods would be loaded up on barges and either carried by priests or floated up the Nile to reside here for a couple of weeks.  The temple itself was largely built by Amenhotep III (King Tut's grandpa) and Ramses II (who else).  Over the centuries since its completion, the temple has taken on many forms.  The Romans would turn it into a fort which would also be used as such by the Arabs.  During the 14th century, a mosque was built here and is still in use today.  Not nearly as large or sprawling as it's neighbor to the north, Luxor temple still is an impressive structure, particularly as the sun sets. 

 

 

As the suns rays brought life to the west side of the Nile, the east side represented the sun setting and snuffing out life.  Temples and monuments to life and religion dominate the east bank.  Tombs, monuments, and shrines to death scatter the barren desert plains of the west bank.  The Valley of the Kings & Queens along with the Valley of the Nobles house hundreds of tombs.  At first glance, there is not much to see.  Standing in the unforgiving heat and staring out into the hills of white sand will give one an understanding as to how so many of these tombs are still left to be uncovered.  It all adds to the mystique and amazement when you first walk down into the tombs.  Covered from top to bottom, brightly painted murals stand much as they did when they were first painted on those walls some 3500 years earlier.  The pigments of color were preserved thanks to no sunlight and outside interference.  Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos inside the tombs due to careless flash photography. 

 

Aside from the tombs, there are also several memorial monuments, or individual shrines, dedicated to the most famous of pharaohs.  We visited Deir al-Bahri, or as it is better known as Hatshepsut's (loosely pronounced "Hot Chicken Soup") Temple.  This place is listed as one of the hottest places on earth and visiting here in the middle of August was probably not our smartest move.  Hatshepsut was one of the few female pharaohs and went to great lengths to prove that she was just as great as any male pharaoh.  After seizing the throne from her dead brother/husband (have to keep the blood line going I suppose) she ruled for about 15 years.  During that time she built the afore mentioned Obelisk at Karnak and this magnificent burial shrine.  Built directly into the hillside, the temple has become one of the most iconic images of ancient Egypt.  Built on three levels, the temple has multiple columns and a massive central ramp leading to the top tiers.  On the second level, each pillar is fronted by what appears to be statues of a male pharaoh, but they are none other than Hatshepsut herself.  The Female pharaoh went to great lengths to prove she was just as strong as any man, even wearing the trademark "beard". 

  

Our last stop on our tour of the east bank was at the Colossi of Memnon.  Pretty much a quick obligatory stop as you have to pass them to get to virtually anywhere on the east bank, these statues are all that remain of a once great temple.  Proving that building a temple out of mud and sand near a annually flooding river is never a good idea, these twin statues once stood guard for the largest temple ever built in Egypt.  Today they stand guard for a large field and several souvenir stalls. 

 

We spent our last day in town strolling along the market, stocking up on enough food to last through our 22 hour bus ride to Dahab & enjoying free Internet & A/C with a view of Luxor temple at the local McDonald's.  McDonald's you say?  Well, sometimes an ice cream cone (with AC) hits the spot!

To see more photos of Luxor click here!

Cruising the Nile! Aswan to Luxor, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Nile River - stops in Kom Umbo & Edfu

Number of Days Spent: 3 days, 2 nights

Where we stayed: Oberoi Nephtis - $90 per person including all meals (we booked this cruise the day before it left through a contact our hotel recommend). His name was Waleed Ali - waleedtravel@hotmail.com - 002 0102509588. I would definitely recommend Waleed's services to other travelers. He gave us the options that worked with our dates and took us on a tour of the ship. He was very professional during the entire process. Oh and he gave us a great recommendation for a local restaurant in Aswan (see that blog, the restaurant was Maka). Thanks Waleed! The ship itself was good. While it certainly shows some signs of age, it was immaculately clean and well taken care of with a very friendly staff. It also had a pool and its own workout machine...check out the pic!

Best restaurant: All meals were included. The food was pretty good too, like most cruises we certainly didn't go hungry!

Best of: More outstanding temples, the beautiful contrast of green river banks and dry deserts side by side, realizing that this scene has changed very little for over 4000 years

Worst of: Booking this cruise last minute gave us no opportunity to choose our shipmates which happened to be one large group of French speaking Algerians on what apparently was a honeymoon getaway of some sorts. We felt a bit out of place, but had fun all the same.

Most Memorable: Love it or hate it, the sun is an awesome presence lending a hand in a couple of favorite memories: sipping our beers as we watched it disappear over the horizon and basking in its rays as they illuminated the ancient past.

Useful Tip: The cabins on the ship come with refrigerators. Bring your own water (and beer) on board to save some serious money. A bottle of water on the ship was 10 EP ($2) which was 4X the asking price in a local stores.

While the Nile stretches for thousands of miles through several countries making it the longest river in the world, this small stretch of a little over 150 miles between Aswan and Luxor receives the lion's share of attention. It is here that the river reaches its widest part, nearly two miles wide and is arguably the most beautiful stretch. The Nile is also thought to be the oldest river in the world and one of only two that flows north (The other being the ironically named New River in North Carolina and Virginia). While the origins of man is a debate for the ages, no one can deny the importance of this river to early civilization. Without its life giving waters, Egypt would not have ever existed and along with it the pyramids, temples and tombs would have never been erected. The world as a whole has changed so much since those monuments were erected and yet little has seemed to change here. Farming is still a major way of life for most of the inhabitants here. Beasts of burden and manual labor still remain the predominant way of cultivating the land. Fish are still caught with hand thrown nets. Children pass the time splashing in the water. Given the limiting options for travel in this area, hopping on some sort of boat is really the only way to see life on the Nile. There are several options in vessels ranging from the feluccas (sans bathrooms, showers, etc.) for about $20-30 per day all the way up to 5-star luxury liners setting you back over $1000 per day. We opted for a middle option since the thought of not having a bathroom for three days combined with the "hidden" charges that a felucca captain entails (not to mention the constant mention of baksheesh) made it worth the few extra bucks.

Our boat didn't leave until the afternoon, so we had some time in the morning to stock up on a few provisions while docked in Aswan. Feeling in the mood for a couple of beers or wine to celebrate the night, we went in search of the elusive elixir. Alcohol is hard to come by in Muslim countries, but there are a couple of "Egypt Free" Stores that sell a small selection of beverages. You have to have a foreign issued passport and expect variations of Heineken to be just about your only choice as far as beer is concerned. We picked up some Luxor Beer (total crap) and Amstel Light (Heineken brand) and wine, well, better visit another country for that. While they certainly were not the best beers ever, they sure taste good on hot days!

Once all were on board, we set sail for our first stop, Kom Ombo. Resting on the banks of a crook in the river, Kom Ombo is a unique temple in that it was dedicated to two different gods - the crocodile god Sobek and the ever present Falcon god Horus. While the temple was built in the New Kingdom style (from 1550 to 1000 B.C.E. - Ramses II time) it was actually built during the post Alexander Ptolemy times (from 331 till around 50 B.C.E. - just before Cleopatra). Much of Alexander's success in conquering kingdoms was his willingness to not only allow local customs to continue, but to encourage it. Most of the temples that stand today in this area were built during the immediate years after Alexander and dedicated to the Egyptian gods. As a result, he, and the rulers following him were welcomed with very little hostility. The temple contains many inscriptions depicting the crowning of kings by the gods, religious stories of the gods and a few "how too's" on daily rituals.

After a peaceful night on our boat, we awoke to explore Edfu the following morning. Unlike Kom Ombo, the temple of Horus at Edfu lies right in the heart of the town. The moment you step foot off the boat, the touts come out in full force trying to get you to take a horse and carriage down to the ruins and are quite persistent. While it is a good 30 minute walk from the river, the walk itself can be quite rewarding. While everyone else from our ship visited the temples as part of a tour, we were allowed to do things on our own enabling us to wander the streets just a bit. Buses can't capture the sights and sounds of ordinary people carrying out everyday life. Speak the universal language of money and haggle for a piece of fruit or a fresh squeezed sugar cane juice. Watch the black robed women barter for a couple of tomatoes. Nearly get run over by young teenage boys riding on makeshift carts lead by donkeys. This is real life, the real Egypt.

The temple of Horus, much like the temple at Kom Ombo, was built during the Ptolemaic (Cleopatra's dad finished it to be exact) times. Dedicated once again to the falcon god Horus, the temple was built on a slight hill away from the Nile river to avoid the yearly floods. As a result, the temple today has withstood the test of time far better than most of it's contemporaries. Once again, the walls are lined with stories of the Gods, mainly centered around Horus and all of his accolades. A couple of complete 2300 year old statues of the falcon god stand impressively as you enter the inner chambers. An oculus giving the sun a chance to illuminate the chambers complete the scene.

The rest of the time was spent relaxing on the ship. We caught up on some reading, swam in the pool for a bit, and watched the banks of the Nile. The last highlight of the trip was passing through the lock at Esna. Not exactly the Panama Canal, but a lock all the same.

Having successfully navigated the locks, the ship arrived in Luxor without incident and we were off to explore all that Luxor has to offer!

To see more photos of our Nile cruise click here.

Chill Out! Hangin' With Captain "Chill" in Aswan, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Aswan, Egypt

Number of Days Spent: 4

Where we stayed: Hathor Hotel ($16) One of our better value hotels on the trip. A/C, refrigerator, roof top pool (a little dirty but acceptable), and this great view overlooking the Nile. They also organized the trip to Abu Simbel for 80 EP with a stop at Philae, High Dam and unfinished Obelisk on the way back, 70 EP without; it's a shared trip with about half of the other budget hotels sharing one van and good value considering the difficulties of getting to Abu Simbel and lack of cheap accommodation once there.

Best restaurant: El-Tahrer Pizza, right across the street from the train station, had decent pizza and a good value compared to it's competitor across the street - Biti Pizza. For a little more upscale (but still reasonable - this is Egypt after all) one block west and two blocks south on the left side of the street from the train station was an excellent restaurant serving local food (including a truly amazing vegetarian platter). We think it was called Maka but we can't remember for sure.

Best of: The ruins at Abu Simbel in our opinion are the best in Egypt! While in Aswan you simply must take a felucca (small sailboat) at least once on the Nile!

Worst of: The shop keepers in the souq are relentless and rude. One even tried to touch Tracy; his hand was met with my fist - jerk. Even after that he tried to still sell us the shirt as we walked away.

Most Memorable: "Come! I want to make you a good deal on the water!" - uttered by an anxious shopkeeper selling staples. After refuting his offer of 3 EP (55 cents) for a liter of water once and walking away, he came down to 2.5 EP (45 cents) for Dasani Water (name brand). Had we have found the off brand water (Siwa is a common one) the going rate should be 2 EP (35 cents). When in Egypt it pays big time to know how much stuff should cost. If you just hand over the cash you usually get the "local" price.

Useful Tip: There are two different trains that run from Cairo to Aswan via Luxor overnight. The sleeper train will set you back $60 one way, but another car, oftentimes on the same train, offers a seat for around $20. You have to go to the station or pay a little extra to the hotel to get them in advance, but at a third of the price it's not a bad ride and gets you there all the same.

Sitting just north of Lake Nasser (world's largest artificial lake) and the High Dam sits the unassuming town of Aswan population around 1 million. Where Cairo and the cities of the north thump and pound 24/7, Aswan and the south quietly pass the time. Much like the slow and meandering river that is it's life blood, the people of Aswan are a more relaxed bunch as a whole and live a simpler life. Aswan was an important military and trade outpost on ancient Egypt's southern borders and it's quarries of granite were important for monument building. It also makes for an excellent jumping off place for the temples of Philae and Abu Simbel, two important and still to this day impressive feats.

Upon arriving on the overnight train from Cairo around noon, we checked into our hotel and did what most Egyptians do in the afternoons - take it easy. In the summer, with temps reaching close to 50 C (over 120 F), everything slows down to a standstill between 1-5. Shops close, workers take a long siesta and many Muslims head to afternoon prayer. Taking advantage of our hotel's tiny rooftop pool, we cooled off in the afternoon waiting till closer to sunset to find a felucca for a sunset cruise.

"Where to find a felucca captain? Ha, they are like flies - they find you! Just walk across the street." ~ man behind the counter of our hotel when asked where to go to arrange a felucca ride. With hundreds of feluccas and a handful of tourists visiting in the summer months, be prepared to be swarmed by every captain available the moment you set foot on the Corniche. One captain went by Captain Chill and offered us a "Chill" ride...a nice time to relax. After a bit of negotiating, we ended up paying 20 EP (15 EP + 5 EP for baksheesh - total about $3.50) each (there were four of us) for a couple of hours sailing around the tiny islands and rocks dotting the Nile culminating with an excellent sunset view. Aside from the occasional mentions of "baksheesh" (if you go a day in Egypt without hearing it at least once, you must not be in Egypt) and finding out that "chill" means "Want some weed?" it was a relaxing couple of hours out on the water. The sunset views were well worth it.

The next day we were off to see Abu Simbel. There are a couple of ways to get here. One is on an expensive plane. Yet another is to hop on one of the cruise ships that ply the waters of Lake Nasser...also quite expensive. The most interesting and far less expensive way is to take a day tour from Aswan via the Government mandated convoy. When terrorists started targeting tourists in the late 90's and early 00's the government instigated the convoy policy to help protect one of it's most valuable industries (tourism in Egypt accounts for 1/5 of the nation's GDP). Now that the troubles are over (for the most part) they still have this asinine way of handling the issue. Every tour bus, van, taxi & tourist carrying private car meets up at 5am in Aswan. The police part of the convoy consists of a couple of Barney Fife's with pistols (probably one bullet each...they're expensive) in a squad car barreling down the deserted desert highway well beyond reasonable limits. This forces all the drivers into NASCAR mentality. Taxi's overtaking three at a time, tour buses overtaking tour buses...all in an effort to be the first ones in the parking lot. Not sure how this is supposed to keep us all safe and it's a major farce if you ask me but we managed to make it there terrorist and caution flag free.

Once there, you are greeted by a man made hill overlooking Lake Nasser. Abu Simbel was one of several temples that would have been lost to the rising waters of the Lake had it not been for UNESCO. The temple was painstakingly cut into over 2000 pieces each weighing 10-45 tons and moved up and out of harms way over a period of about 4 years. It's only fitting that it took a modern feat to save this ancient one from destruction. After rounding the hill, you are greeted by the iconic statues of Ramses II. Like guardian centurions, this temple was built for a couple of purposes. One was to celebrate the conquests of Ramses II and honor the gods that made all things possible. The other was to serve as a warning to other African tribes that the nation of Egypt was strong and powerful.

Standing alongside the great ruler, almost lost in the scene, are his wife, mother and some of his favorite children, albeit about 1/3 the size of himself.

The inside of the monument continues his ode to himself and his greatness. Ramses II ruled for 67 years making him one of the longest reigning pharaohs. During that time, he oversaw several important building projects. Aside from this temple, he had another one built in his honor in the valley of Kings at Luxor and expanded on Karnak, also at Luxor, the largest temple ever built and arguably the most important temple in Egyptian history (more on that in a couple of postings). On the walls are depictions of some of his battles, the most famous of which is the pharaoh riding a chariot into battle against the Hittites (present day Syria), seemingly single handedly willing his army to victory. In another feat of Egyptian engineering the entire temple was built at just the right angle to where the sun rises and peers into the temple all the way to the inner chamber on the 22nd days of February and October every year.

Nearly overwhelmed by it's famous neighbor, the temple of Hathor sits just opposite Ramses II. Hathor was the goddess of fertility, one of the more important gods in Egypt and was represented mainly as a cow. One interesting note that makes this temple a little different than others is the depiction of the pharaoh and his wife at the same height. Inside are shrines to Hathor along with statues of Ramses and his wife.

Just outside of Aswan between the new and old dams lies the stunningly beautiful Temple of Isis on Philae Island, a temple only befitting of the mother of kings, Isis. In the middle of the Nile, the buildings standing today date starting from the last of the Egyptian kings, 300 B.C.E., all the way up until around 300 C.E. where Isis had become one of the most worshiped gods in all of the Roman empire. After the embrace of Christianity spread, the temple was defaced and transformed to a chapel and then later again defaced by Muslims. With it's importance to society lasting into the common era the remains are well intact. The columns and wall are carved with inscriptions depicting stories of the gods.

The day tour also stops at the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, both really not worth the price of admission unless you are really into modern dams and rock quarries. Only half the van bothered to see the dam (and only half of this duo for that matter) and the Obelisk will remain a mystery as no one bothered to get out to see that.

Back in town, we organized our boat trip down the Nile which wasn't leaving for a couple of days so we had a little extra time to kill in Aswan.

After an action packed day the prior day, we opted to take it easy and head over to Elephantine Island. The island has a unique blend of past, present and future all packed into an easily walkable space. At one end of the island lies the oldest settlement at Aswan, Abu, which was established for trading ivory and as a fortress protecting the southern border of Egypt. At the far other end of the island lies possibly the future of the island, the Movenpick Hotel and resort. As more tourists find this a pleasant stop and the threat of terrorism becomes more of a distant memory, resorts such as this will sadly begin to outgrow their allotted space. And somewhere in between the two extremes lies a couple of Nubian Villages representing the present. The majority of the inhabitants here live a much simpler life than that of the city proper. Women bake bread and weave mats for pennies a day, children find pleasure from a plastic bag for a toy kite and the men sit around and smoke sheesha in between taking the boat out fishing. On our little trip, we found all the above along with at least two "mayors" attempting to aid us on our journey to his "approved" shop and a couple of "baksheesh" kids. While it's not much, and the proximity to major tourist attractions make it more "Disneyland" Nubian village, it's an interesting enough place to wander around for a couple of hours and it gives a glimpse into the more rural life of Egypt.

Outside of Cairo, Aswan has one of the largest souqs in Egypt. If there ever was a sign that the local economy hangs on every last tourist dollar, euro or pound this place would take top honors. Stretching for over eight city blocks, the souq is filled, and I mean filled with every tourist souvenir imaginable. Anything from African handicrafts to stuffed zebras can be had and bargaining here is an absolute must. With so many shops and so few tourists it's a wonder how this many stores exist. Even if you are not shopping, it's an experience to just walk up and down and hear the often times feeble attempts to get you to turn around and look at their junk. Anything from walking right in front of you to yells of "You are so lucky (to me) my friend! How many camels you want for her (referring to Tracy)?" At times it can be a bit overbearing, but if you take it in stride and just realize they are trying anything they can to make a few bucks it can be fun.

After getting our feel of the markets, we boarded the little cruise ship for a couple of days on the oldest river in the world, the Nile river from Aswan down to Luxor.

The End.

To see more photos of Aswan click here.

To see more photos of Abu Simbel click here.

Hisssss! Dodging traffic on our way to the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Cairo, Egypt

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: Juliana Hotel (130EP or $22) Nice, clean place in the Garden District. Free WIFI. Hard to find, especially at night since it's on the third floor of a bank building with a small sign. If you are looking for peace and quiet in the middle of Cairo this is about as good as it gets. That does mean, however, a short walk to restaurants, shops, etc.

Best restaurant: Egyptian food is widely regarded as the worlds worst cuisine but there can still be a few diamonds in the rough. Koshary El Tahrir had excellent koshary ( 5EP/$1 I like to call it leftover surprise - think spaghetti with rice and lentils topped with fried onions & a garlicky vinegar with optional hot sauce - weird but tasty), Falfela is a bit touristy and a tad overpriced, but the hummus and roasted chicken are both excellent. Lastly, the roasted eggplant sandwiches (about $.25-.50) at At Tabei ad-Dumyati was great for an on the go meal before jumping on the train to Aswan!

Best of: 4000 year old burial chambers in the shape of pyramids, rich treasures of the Pharaohs, get "lost" in Islamic Cairo - never a dull moment

Worst of: 20 million people + little to no rainfall + very little government regulation = one of the most polluted locations on the face of the earth. After just one day in the city your snot turns black and coughing is about as common as breathing. The museum could stand some AC.

Most Memorable: Watching the circus like show between touts and package tourists that goes on at the base of the world's best known monuments...The Impressive Pyramids of Giza.

Useful Tip: Always negotiate everywhere in Egypt, for everything unless a price is clearly stated in writing (and even then sometimes). This includes taxis, tours, water, the use of toilets, etc. In the Egyptian Museum there are two mummy rooms included for the price of one ticket - two people can split one ticket as both rooms are similar. Generally speaking, the more aggressive the tout, the more they will attempt to rip you off. Look for the guy who doesn't seem to care - they will usually be your best bet in getting the "local" price.

Bumper to bumper traffic. Streets lines with thousands of black taxis. Pedestrians intermingled in the fray doing a real life version of Frogger. Cars driving without lights on at night. Welcome to Cairo, home to over 20 million people making it the largest city in Africa. It's noisy, polluted, dirty and yet somehow manages to exude a little charm in between the layers of grime. One side of town boasts the famous pyramids of Giza, nearly engulfed by the ever growing city. On the other side lies the heart and soul of Cairo, the chaotic charm of Islamic Cairo. Sandwiched in-between the two the old collides with the new. The oldest river in the world and sustainer of Egyptian life, the Nile, meanders past an ever growing center of business and modernization. Many come and go right to the Pyramids and leave, but giving the city even a moments glance will reveal a side you don't expect.

Upon stepping off the bus at around 11:30pm, we were immediately surrounded by taxi touts. There are an estimated 80,000 taxis in the city and finding one is hardly a question. Finding one with a working meter, however, is virtually impossible. To compound problems, anyone can be a taxi driver, all you need is a car that runs...sorta. Our cabbie didn't have any clue where our hotel was but yet still had the calls for "Baksheesh!" (the word for tip in Arabic) in full gear. A hour later, a tour of Cairo included in the price, and we still hadn't arrived. Not until we got out of the car and walked around deserted streets looking for a small sign that was on the third floor of a bank building did we finally find the place. Once again the cries for Baksheesh came but we didn't have small change to begin with so the pissed off, inept driver sped off. Welcome to Cairo.

Regarded as one of the most important museums in the world, the Egyptian Museum sits square in the heart of Cairo and contains some of the greatest archeological finds of all time. King Tut's treasure (what is not out on loan that is), two rooms of mummies, and loads and loads of statues, bowls and just about everything under the Egyptian sun found along the banks of the Nile over the past 200 years all sit in this aging building. Entrance fees are steep (about $28 per person for museum and mummy rooms), but that's mainly a fundraising effort to build a much needed state of the art museum out near the pyramids. One could spend days here exploring and researching, and some do. For the casual travelers such as ourselves, a half day covers the highlights without too much rushing around. King Tut's treasure trove is simply stunning and overwhelming. Like Russian Stacking Dolls, the boy king was laid to rest under three sarcophagi which were then placed in four shrines. His mask and inner sarcophagi weigh a combined 121 kilos (266 pounds) of solid gold! At the other end of the museum lies the other major highlight...the mummy rooms. Although they cost extra to get into, it's worth it to see them so well preserved after 3000 years, albeit a little bizarre. Sandwiched in between are literally thousands of exhibits that would in most museums be the focal points, but in this one, more of a footnote. The only downside to the museum at the moment is the building itself. Little money has went into it since all the money is being saved for the new place. Many of the display labels are from the 50's or earlier, the building lacks AC - a major drawback in the summer heat, and the whole place has a fine layer of dust. Perhaps sometime in the year 2020 these treasures will finally get a climate controlled home they deserve.

After getting our feel of ancient history, it was time to step outside and into the 21st Century. A short cab ride away from the modern hotels and buildings cropping up around the Nile, lies the heart of Islamic Cairo. Here, the modern business suits give way to the traditional robes. Aish (Bread) is freshly baked for pennies. No matter the time of day, the streets are alive. This part of town is also a good place to practice, or at least, experience the unique "language" of Cairo. While Arabic is the official language, Cairenes have a couple of unique ways to "say" common phrases. To ask for the check at a restaurant, simply make a slashing motion with one hand across the palm of the other. A nod with the head in conjunction with a "tsk" sound is the way to say no. Our favorite, however, is when they need to come through and you're in the way, they make a "hiss" sound. While in our culture that may be a little rude, here it's normal.

A trip to Egypt would not be complete without seeing the famous pyramids. Upon seeing these massive monuments it is easy to see how some people may believe them to not be man made, but rather, by aliens or gods. Research has shown however that during the months when the Nile became flooded, thousands of farmers could have been routed away from their lands to build these mausoleums of the pharaohs. With the waters being high, it would also aid in transporting the stones from quarries up stream. While the pyramids at Giza grab all the attention and hoards of tourists, there are over 90 pyramids scattered across the desert plains and a few of them are well worth the effort. We dedicated a full day to visiting a few of the lesser known pyramids as well as the must see ones at Giza.

We started the day at the oldest pyramid known as the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. Built by Zoser in 2650 B.C.E., the Step pyramid consists of six levels rising to a height of 60 meters (about 200 feet) and is made entirely of stone making it the oldest stone monument in the world. The pyramid is the centerpiece of a vast funerary complex that includes courtyards, temples and halls connecting them all together. The structure represents the earliest attempt to move away from perishable building materials like mud and wood and gave birth to later Egyptian achievements. As an interesting footnote, the complex is also home to the oldest known graffiti. A visitor to the tomb during the reign of Ramses II (1500 years later, 3000 years ago) scribbled on one of the walls his admiration for Zoser. With Saqqara being the burial place of the ancient city of Memphis (capital of Lower Egypt) the entire area is covered in not only other pyramids, but also more common burial tombs. The social elite would also have elaborate burial tombs built. While they don't match the pyramids in size and height, these other tombs surpass the pyramids in paintings and giving detailed accounts of more day to day life. Most of the walls are adorned with hieroglyphs and scenes of just about everything from battles to birthing.

Just a little farther South from Saqqara lies a couple of other significant pyramids: The Bent and the Red Pyramids. After successfully mastering the step pyramid concept, the Egyptians would try and build them taller and completely smooth sided. Their first attempt came about 50 years later in the form of what is known today as the Bent Pyramid. Starting at a 54 degree angle, the architects realized halfway up that the building was becoming unstable and could not continue at this angle. The rest of the building was then completed at the more gentle slope of 43 degrees giving the structure a "bent" appearance. Undeterred, the architects began building another pyramid next door, this time starting at a 43 degree angle. The results are known today as the Red Pyramid and represent the first true pyramid ever built. Both pyramids are the same height at 105 meters (about 345 feet) making them the third largest pyramids, only the ones at Giza are larger. As an added bonus, the entrance fee and fee to climb inside are both about half as much as they charge in Giza plus there are no touts and you are likely to have the place to yourself. We played tomb raider and climbed the steep 125 steps down into the inner chambers. Word of warning - stretch before you climb - we didn't and the awkward angle you are forced to climb will leave you a little sore for a couple of days...no kidding. While it was a neat experience to be wandering around inside a 4500 year old building, there was not much to look at. While the architects finally got the right angle, the interior decorators must have had more important things to do. The walls are completely void of any adornment.

The only remaining "Seven Wonders of the World". Evidence of aliens? Arguably the most recognized man made structure on earth. Whatever you know or have heard of the Pyramids of Giza cannot prepare you for the sight. Here they stand, the largest of which contains 2.3 million blocks each weighing in at around 2.5 tons reaching a height of 146 meters (around 480 feet), as they have for 46 centuries. Standing guard is the iconic Sphinx. With the body of a lion and the face of...well, the Pharaoh himself, the Sphinx is overshadowed by the pyramids but still quite large. Probably the best and worst part of visiting the pyramids today are all the tourists...followed by all the touts. We like to refer to it as somewhat of a circus. Don't get me wrong, the pyramids are impressive and well worth the visit, but watching the touts go to work on the bus loads of overpaying tourists was equally as entertaining. When 1/5 of your economy comes from tourism, and your number one tourist attraction (volume wise) is within easy reach of 20 million people, most of which are at the poverty level or borderline poverty, you have a recipe for hoards of trinket peddlers and camel jockeys all trying to get your attention and separate you from your cash. "Want camel ride?" "Why not?" "I have nice Camel." "It's too hot to walk" "Long walk, take Camel?" "I give you Egyptian price!" "Ok, you don't want to ride, how about lady?" "Come on, nice experience!" I think you get the picture. After finding a shady spot, which are few and far between by the way, we sat down and watched the spectacle ourselves. We recommend doing the same. Sit, have some water, and watch the interactions that occurs. The pyramids themselves are a must see, but the circus that goes on at the bottom will give you a story to tell if nothing else.

Having our feel of Pyramids and highly congested Cairo, we packed our bags and hit the night train all the way down (or up depending on your perspective) to Aswan.

To see more photos of Cairo click here!