2 Week Adventure Part II

So here is my second instalment of photos from our two week journey around Egypt.  It’s funny, I hardly took any photos, half the time I didn’t even bring my camera but still, I had a hard time narrowing it down to just a few.
After spending a few days showing Jen around Cairo, we boarded an overnight train headed for Aswan.  Our good friend Musa (or ’Canadian’ as some of his friends call him!), had hooked us up with a killer deal on an all inclusive, 3 day Nile Cruise that was impossible to pass up.  Not only would Jen be able to spend some time enjoying the Nile River itself, we would get a much needed break from traveling.  So all that settled, we headed to Aswan for our guided tour of Upper Egypt.

We woke up much too early after our first night in Aswan to join the convoy of buses out to Abu Simbel.  The journey is quite long and complicated but it is well worth the trouble and the cost to visit Ramses II’s temples at Abu Simbel.  This temple has to be my favourite in all of Egypt.  Ramses II was definitely the greatest ruler in all of Ancient Egypt.

So, this time I was that person.  You know the one, the one that steals snaps where cameras are not allowed.  I don’t see the harm if I am not using flash.  So there!  Here is a battle image from inside the Temple of Ramses II.  Since he was known for his battle prowess and for leading Egypt through multiple, successful battles, the temple walls are adorned with epic battle scenes.  Here he has all his enemies by the hair and will chop of their heads!  I love it :)

Ah, these statues are epic.  When you enter the chamber that contains these four statues of the main gods of Egypt at the time, you get the feeling like you are in a truly sacred place.  Not only a place of worship but an eerie connection to the past.  Two times a year, the early morning sunrays penetrate the temple to light up three of the statues at the back of the temple, the fourth, the God Ptah, the God of darkness stays in shadow.  Creepy.

This isn’t the best photo but I wanted to post it merely to show how much of the original colour remains on many of the temple walls.  It is stunning, mind boggling and humbling to say the least.

Our Boat!!  Oh yeah, check it out.  Dan and I haven’t stayed in a single hotel that would even be close to receiving one star yet alone 5!  It was a nice change to have luxury, to be told where to be and when to be there and to be served 3 meals a day, buffet.  Now lets not forget the all important tea time every afternoon with cake.  It was hard, but we managed to survive.

A wall relief of Osiris, ‘The’ God of Egypt and his wife Isis.  These two have quite the legend surrounding their love for each other.  Isis has to be the best wife in history.

A snap of the some felucca boats on The Nile River in Aswan.  Beautiful.  I would like to mention, it is not as warm as it looks.  Much of my free time was spent below deck, drinking tea and embarrassing Dan and Jen with my almost god-like ability to win at card games.  Muah ha ha, sorry Jen  ;)

Jen with my favourite God, Horus.  Aren’t they cute?

Another image of Pharaoh Ramses II.  I am thinking he is standing with the Goddesses of Upper and Lower Egypt but that is just my guess.

The three of us where privileged enough to be invited for family dinner by a friend we met on the boat.  We enjoyed some of the tastiest Egyptian food we have ever had.  Freshly slaughtered chicken and duck, tasty spinach and oil dip, yummy rice and some of the best french fries I have ever had.  Thanks so much Magdy and Family.  

Dan and Jen walking around a scarab statue.  Apparently, after circling the statue counter clockwise, 7 times, your wish will be granted.

A snap of the Massive columns at the Temple Karnak in Luxor.  How did they do it?  I dunno?

A couple shots of the Luxor Temple at dusk.  So beautiful.