Honeymoon in Aswan & Abu Simbel

Aswan is the southernmost city in Egypt, home to Egyptians and darker skinned Nubians. Narrowly situated along the Nile, it is a picturesque city with a relaxed pace. The main street, Corniche en-Nil Avenue, overlooks the river which is dotted with feluccas, floating restaurants, and cruise ships.

A series of islands offer interesting excursions. Hire a felucca to sail around the islands. Visit the Aswan Archaeological Museum, a Nilometer, or Nubian villages on Elephantine Island. Walk among the gardens on Kitchener's Island, a botanical paradise full of tropical exotic plants. Farther south on the island of Philae, explore the intriguing Temple of Isis dating from the 3rd century. Travel much further south and wander around the majestic statues of Ramses II before entering his Great Temple in Abu Simbel.

We stayed at the grand Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan for three nights (awesome place), and spent a lonely night in Abu Simbel. (I honestly believe we were the only foreigners in Abu Simbel that night.) Southern Egypt was an enjoyable, relaxing experience (except for a felucca ride). Compared to Cairo, Aswan was smaller, quieter, slower, with noticeably less crowds.

Quick Tips:

Walking along Corniche Avenue, you will most certainly be bombarded by men pleading with you to ride on their felucca, or by men begging you to ride in their horse-drawn kalish. Despite your "La Shokrane" (no thanks), it's almost a given that they will persistently follow you, talking and asking questions as you attempt to walk away. Of course, it didn't help that we were the only tourists in sight that day, so naturally we stuck out like raw meat to a pack of hungry dogs. Just be ready, avert their eye gaze, and disregard their pesky questions (especially "Where you from? Oh, America! You rich man!") to discourage a parade of followers.

If you do hire a felucca, be forewarned that the captain you negotiate with may not be seen again, as his young helpers actually do the sailing.

Join an organized group for a day tour to see the Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan Dam and Philae Temple. Logistics prevent you from visiting these areas easily on your own.

Make time to wander the backsteets of the souq two blocks off Corniche Avenue. Vendors are friendly, sights are colorful and products are unique.

Best Way To Get Around:

Travel from Cairo to Aswan at night on the Wagonlit tourist train (around US), or fly the two hour flight. Around Aswan walk, take a kalish horse-drawn taxi (around 5 pounds) or take a regular taxi. To visit the islands, a felucca is required unless you want to swim. To reach Philae, a taxi (around US) plus a motorboat ( US) will be required. A three hour bus ride or a seventeen minute flight brings you to Abu Simbel. Our flight only cost US, but this was a reduced rate because the road was closed. Now open, minibuses go from Aswan to Abu Simbel from most hotels leaving around 4 am, and leave Abu Simbel at 10 am after a two hour visit. Regular buses leave daily at 8 am and cost 26 pounds for the nearly four hour ride. Again, only two hours are allowed to visit the site once you arrive.

The Old Cataract Hotel is majestically perched on a hill overlooking the Nile. Built in 1902, this luxurious hotel has been beautifully restored down to its glass etched working elevator. The unique decor is Moorish with tall ceilings, long halls, and colorful furnishings. There is an attractive, large swimming pool set in the middle of lush grounds, with many walkways and terraces for relaxing. Other amenities include tennis and volleyball courts, a health club, restaurants and bars. There are 128 standard rooms, each decorated elegantly and differently, and 8 suites which are named after famous people who have stayed there, including Howard Carter, Agatha Christie, Winston Churchill, Princess Di, and the Shah of Iran. We took a peek into Agatha Christie's suite which was gorgeous. She spent some time here, writing the movie "Death on the Nile" which was partially filmed at the hotel.

As we entered the hotel, colorfully dressed attendants greeted us in the grand lobby, and took us up the glass elevator to our room. The staff was friendly and very attentive. Almost too attentive! We had just gotten off the night train, still sick with Pharaoh's Revenge and wanted a little privacy to crash. But every few minutes someone else would be at the door to graciously deliver complimentary fruit, cheese, tarts, soda, water, juice, towels, bathrobes, or newspapers. It became kind of funny as you can imagine, trying to jump into the shower just as another knock sounded at the door. We finally had to put the "Do not disturb" sign out, although I can't imagine what else they could've thought to bring us! Is that service, or what?

Over the next couple of days, after sightseeing in the mornings, we hung out at the pool. It was a great place to read, write, share a sensual swim, or relax in the shade while stretching out on a comfortable padded chaise lounge. I was finally beginning to feel like I was on my honeymoon! Evenings we hung out on the terrace, watching feluccas sail by while the sun set over the Nile.

Staying here was a treat, and worth the splurge! It was our favorite place to stay in all of Egypt. Rates vary depending on the type of room (standard or suite), the view (facing the garden or the Nile), and the season. Current 2002 low season rates for the standard garden view room begin at $106 US and climb to $240 US in the high season. A suite overlooking the Nile ranges from $214 to $374 US. New Year's Eve prices are substantially more for all rooms. Rates do include a breakfast buffet (wonderful food), service charges and taxes.

The Nefertari Hotel is a four star hotel located within a five minute walk of Abu Simbel. It was undergoing major renovations at the time of our visit, and we ended up being the only guests in the entire place! Talk about weird. The place was deserted, old and tattered. I felt like we were in the Twilight Zone.

We checked in at 12:30. The desk attendant spoke no English. Luckily, we knew some Arabic which allowed us to communicate with him somewhat. He led us past piles of concrete and discarded carpets to our poolside (ha) room.

We skipped lunch as there was no where to eat. No restaurants or vending machines were available, and the desk attendant was now gone. So we went on ahead to explore the temples at Abu Simbel. It felt strange to be in Egypt, walking down a sandy road without seeing another soul. No one yelling, "Kalish? Felucca? Taxi?" or peddling their wares. After being in Egypt seven days, it was a refreshing change, but we still couldn't seem to let down our guard. (My husband refused to let me to visit the temples by myself afraid something would happen to me. Accustomed to being very independent on my previous travels, it was the first time that I realized that my wanderings might not be okay at whim. I may be naive, but I think Abu Simbel was the safest, most relaxing place we visited in Egypt, and I could've explored on my own very nicely.)

Since we had paid for a full meal package at the time of our reservations, we headed up to the lobby to inquire about dinner. We were led into an empty dining room that overlooked Lake Nassar (pretty view). Without a word, the waiter brought us different courses: soup, bread, mashed potatoes with peppers and onions, then the main entree of chicken and rice. Later, a group of construction workers entered and ate dinner with the waiter. Still thirsty, we bought four tiny sodas on the way out. Judging from the look on the waiter's frustrated face, we may have taken all available sodas. But, hey, it's hot here in Egypt, and we can't drink the water!

Late that night the construction workers started jackhammering the pool area outside our room, ending at 2am. Suddenly, acutely aware that we were the only tourists staying overnight in Abu Simbel, easily singled out by our running window air-conditioner, I couldn't sleep. Nudging David awake, I asked him if he was nervous about being on the Sudanese border. After assuring me we were okay, I fell asleep, then bingo, he was wide awake!

The next morning we appeared at the lobby and peeked inside the restaurant. Closed. Guess no breakfast today. We were mighty thirsty before we reached Aswan later that day. A bus from the airport picked us up around 9:30. We waited for him quite a while, not knowing when he'd be there.

Walking into the 1902 Restaurant made me somehow feel as if I were approaching a mysterious, decorated tomb in the Valley of the Kings. Inside the darkened room were several massive archways, decorated in red and maroon stripes, leading to darkened corridors. Copper lanterns punctured with tiny holes let light escape and illuminate the arches. Flames from gas lights flickered on the walls, as if lining the passage to the tomb. Small circular tables were scattered under the huge, domed, mosque-like ceiling punctuated with tiny panels of stained glass niched into the walls.

No wonder this is considered one of Egypt's finest restaurants. Opening night, long ago, was attended by the sovereign of Egypt, Winston Churchill, King Edward VII's brother, and many other dignitaries. It truly is elegant, mysterious and unique.

Wait staff, colorfully costumed, were attentive and friendly. The dinner menu offered creative French cuisine, heavy on local fish. I had "Howard Carter's Bolty Fish in Its Own Sarcophagus" which consisted of flaky fish inside a buttery puffed pastry decorated with swirled cream sauces and shredded vegetables. My husband had "Egyptian Style Fish" which consisted of small balls of bolty fish in a tomato sauce over rice. Both were yummy. Most entrees were around $20 US.

One night a belly dancer entertained us while we ate dinner, seductively dancing around the small tables, and encouraging us to participate in a group dance at the end. Another night, a local Nubian band performed at the edge of the dining area. It was enjoyable to hear and see the local talent. There were surprisingly few people in the restaurant on either night, maybe four other couples was all.

Breakfast on the other hand, was well visited. The breakfast buffet is included in the price of your room if you are staying either at the Old or New Cataract Hotel. Everything imaginable was served, and creatively presented. Even the juices were served in ornate, ancient-looking Moroccan containers.

Located in the Old Cataract Hotel, note that this is not your typical hotel restaurant fare. Tasteful, creative foods in a unique setting made this one of our favorite restaurants.

Romantic visions of sailing across the Nile in a felucca immediately dissolved once we began walking down Corniche Avenue, which swarms with over 300 boat captains and their young helpers. No wonder we were ‘befriended' followed, and harassed to rent a felucca during our forty minute walk to the end of the avenue.

We were the only tourists anywhere in sight that morning. Tired of refusing the constant pleas of the tunic clad men who persistently pestered us, we began to search for the public ferry that would take us across to Elephantine Island for one pound. We never found it.

Another eager captain ran up to us wanting 80 pounds for a two hour ride. Fully aware that the official rate was 10 pounds, not 80, we began the tiresome negotiations and finally settled on 20 pounds. As we drifted into the Nile, a teenager jumped aboard and planted himself directly across from us. He had a cocky attitude, and began questioning us about how much we wanted to pay, insistent that previous negotiations were null and void. We pointed to the captain hidden behind the sail, explaining that we'd already negotiated with him. ‘Him' turned out to be another teenager, not our captain who was apparently still on shore.

The entire time this teen sat across from us at arm's length with a sneer on his face, openly mocking and disdaining us. We tried to ignore him and concentrate on the felucca experience, but it was impossible. The Nile was narrower than envisioned and thankfully only took fifteen minutes to cross. Our visit on Elephantine Island was nearly as disappointing as our felucca ride. We were back on the boat within thirty minutes. The boys set sail and we headed back. This time, the two teenagers sat together openly discussing, (in Arabic) how they could finagle more money out of us. When one of them laughingly yelled out an outrageous amount, David loudly retorted in Arabic, "Or zero!" The boys looked up at us in surprised silence.

Moments later we realized that we weren't moving, and asked why. The sneering teen suddenly demanded that we pay him double or swim back. Stunned, then angry, David demanded that they raise the sails. After some time, they brought us back to shore, where another standoff transpired. Refusing to take the 20 pounds, they waited out for more. Fruitless arguing. Finally, we began to walk away, and threw out a twenty, while the sailor grabbed the money and pleaded for his tip. Tip?

Here's my tip. Go with a large group of people, like we did later on. Then it is actually a pleasant experience sailing past islands, admiring Kitchener's Island, or the Tombs of the Nobles. We sailed past our Old Cataract Hotel and stayed out on the water until the sun set. Peaceful, and relaxing, what a world of difference traveling in Egypt can be within a larger group!

I'd read a romanticized account of a woman getting a henna tatoo in a Nubian village on Elephantine Island. The experience involved a nearly three hour process of dyeing and drying, watching it change from red to black while spending the hours dancing, visiting and drinking tea together among women. What a cool way to bond!

Thus, my desire to seek out the tiny village on Elephantine Island.

After a short fifteen minute sail across the Nile, we walked up a dirt path, passed a cluttered assortment of plastic souvenirs, and crested a hill to find camels and a group of cement houses. Not sure where to go, we wove between camels, while a growing group of Nubian boys gathered around us. Declining camel rides, we walked onward. No shops were visible. No roads or pathways. No other tourists. Surely we needed the assistance of the self-appointed guide at our heels who had shooed the others away, claiming to be the chosen one.

The village was tiny. Pastel cement houses and a school were all that we saw. (I still wonder if the sailors brought us to the right place.) Trash, camel and donkey dung littered the sand. My husband was horrified that I had worn sandals. The boy led us to a typical home, showing us the rooms--kitchen, oven room, dining room, courtyard, bedrooms and an upstairs terrace all made from thick cement brightly painted. Inside, the homes were very clean and orderly, but sparsely furnished.

When I inquired about a henna tatoo, a young woman came out with a tube of black paint and a basket of paper designs to select from. She attempted to persuade me to select a much larger design, but readily honored my request when I declined. She sat beside me and squeezed out a thick black paint from a tube, carefully applying it to my forearm. The boy guide sat beside me, on and off, twice jarring the bench and subsequently the tube of paint! Ugh. We waited ten minutes for the paint to dry, attempting to communicate with the woman and her sister with a few shared Arabic words, smiles and gestures. There were a couple of men in the room, but they didn't speak or smile in return.

After paying fifteen pounds for the henna tatoo, we thanked her and left. Another woman came out and motioned us to follow her. She led us to her shop, a room containing beaded necklaces and bedouin head wraps.

After that, we were led back to our boat. It had only been thirty minutes. But there was nothing more to see or do, so we left. Hardly the same experience that lucky girl had encountered that drew me here in the first place. But I appreciated the opportunity to get off the beaten track and see a Nubian slice of life. Plus, I liked my henna tatoo. It lasted almost two weeks before it faded away.

We joined an organized tour for an afternoon visit to the Aswan Dam and Unfinished Obelisk. How wonderful it was to blend into a crowd for awhile and not be singled out or harassed at a sight. If you do go independently, taxi fare is around two pounds, but varies greatly depending on your negotiating skills.

Our group was bused 1.5 km south of town, past the Fatimid cemetery. After paying the 20 pound admission, we were led to the granite quarry to see the massive unfinished obelisk laying on the ground. Measuring 42 meters long, it would have been the tallest obelisk had it not cracked. But when the fractures appeared in the granite, the stonemasons had to abandon it. Days later, we saw the tallest remaining obelisk in Egypt, at Karnak Temple in Luxor. Made from pink granite, Queen Hatshepsut's obelisk stands 30 meters tall.

It was interesting to walk around the quarry and see how the Egyptians prepared an obelisk out of a single solid piece of granite. The entire area was littered with discarded stone, much of it marked haphazardly with hieroglyphics, illustrating how they practiced their decorative artistic skills.

There is another unfinished obelisk in the desert across the Nile from Aswan. We didn't see it, but if you hire a guide and camel, he can take you beyond St. Simeon's monastery to search it out.

Philae was intriguing and beautiful! Picture a gleaming white limestone temple built on a small island surrounded by blue, blue water.

The Temple of Isis on the island of Philae has been attracting tourists for thousands of years. Isis was the goddess of love, purity, healing motherhood, nature and immortality. She was worshiped passionately by the Egyptians and became the universal mother of nature symbol. Legend has it that on Philae, while searching for her husband Osiris' dismembered body after his murder, she found his heart and declared Philae a sacred site. Her cult of followers came from all over the Mediterranean, and worshiped her here at this temple until the 6th century.

Originally, the structures were built over ancient ruins by the Romans around 300 BC. The temple walls show pictures of Isis with her husband Osiris and son Horus (as a baby suckling her and as a small boy). The hypostle hall had lots of decorated columns, each of them different.

Over time, other people began adding or destroying their own marks and structures. Christians transformed the main hall into a chapel, defacing the pagan reliefs and adding their own inscriptions. They also built two churches. The Coptic cross was represented on the church walls, indicating life, not death. The ankh is also inscribed, illustrating the two signs of life, the holy family, and the trinity. Egyptians also use the ankh to symbolize the division between lower and upper Egypt. Later, the Muslims then defaced the Christian inscriptions and added their own.

In addition to the pylon, courts and sanctuary in the Temple complexes, there are other temples on the island dedicated to Augustus and Hathor. Our guide allowed fifteen minutes to wander around after his presentation. We snuck away to a private place, some deserted ruins near the water and began to take pictures. The spot was perfect for posing topless against a weathered limestone column...until we noticed a guard running quickly toward us. I fumbled to put on my shirt (inside out, oops) before he reached us. He was surprisingly not angry, but instead encouraging us to continue! Ah, no thanks.

This love temple was rescued from rising waters, created from the new Aswan Dam, and moved to a higher island in 1972. Careful selection of the land matched the size and shape of the island. And careful attention to detail ensured that the temples were relocated exactly the way they had been on the original site.

Admission is 20 pounds, and hours are 8-4 daily. The boat ride to reach the scenic island is about 16 pounds for up to ten people. There is a sound and light show nightly lasting an hour. Check for times and languages.

We took a 17 minute flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel. The flight alone was cool, overlooking desolate sand that stretched for miles. Suddenly Lake Nassar came into view and the incredible structure of Abu Simbel was visible from the air!

We checked into the Nefertari Hotel and walked five minutes down a lonely sandy road, and we were there. Oddly enough, a whole row of security guards lined the entrance, staring sternly as we walked past. We were the only tourists. As we rounded the mountain, a gradual ascent along a sandy path led to the great monument. Majestic, massive, memorable these mighty statues of Ramses II face the lake. They were built in 1290 BC to intimidate the Nubian people, and remind them who was ruling Egypt.

One of the four statues fell as a result of an earthquake in 27 BC, knocking his upper torso to the ground. His face is in the sand, with only an ear visible. When we saw it, we both cried out, "Ozymandias!" Shelley's poem, Ozymandias, (Greek for Ramses) describes the irony of how the great king immortalized forever in magnificent statues now lies broken in the sand. "Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert. Near them on the sand, half sunk, a shattered visage lies...on the pedestal these words appear, ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings. Look on my works, ye mighty and despair!' Nothing beside remains. Round the decay of that colossal wreck... sands stretch far away." (Oddly enough, the shattered remains of another statue of Ramses II in the Ramesseum in Luxor is given credit for being the inspiration for Shelley's poem, but if you compare the two sights and reread the poem, there is no question that Abu Simbel is the true site of Ozymandias!)

Staring at the monument, there is much to look at. The four statues differ slightly and are surrounded by smaller statues of the queen, their children, falcons, praying baboons, and hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Yet, inside his temple was even more intriguing. Entering a huge door, we walked between eight more statues of Ramses II facing each other. Straight back, lights illuminate four statues in the inner sanctum, one of Ramses, the other three of gods, showing the importance he placed on himself, that of an equal to the gods. Once encased in gold, these statues gleamed in sunlight twice a year, as rays illuminated them on February 21st and October 21st engineered to celebrate Ramses' birthday and coronation. Incredible! Since the temple was moved to another island to escape rising waters in the 1960's, the date is off by one day.

Corridors and narrow inner rooms extend like fingers from the center, each decorated differently. Walls highlighted Ramses' achievements and companionship with the gods, with pictures of battles, chariots, offerings, and hieroglyphic inscriptions. Some of the narrow rooms had niches carved into the walls, where objects were stored for worship. Very cool place!

Being only one of two temples built to honor a female in all of Egypt, it deserves its own entry, don't you think? (The other temple honoring Queen Hatshepsut is in Luxor.)

Ramses II had this temple built for Queen Nefertari, his favorite wife. Located a short distance from her husband's at Abu Simbel, it is also carved into the face of the limestone mountain.

The exterior of the temple is flanked with six statues, this time of both Ramses and Nefertari. These statues are 10 meters tall compared to the 20 meter statues that guard the entrance to Ramses' temple. Smaller statues of princes and princesses surround the king and his queen. While Ramses' statues are seated and project outward, these six statues are standing in shallow niches carved into the facade, bordered by hieroglyphics.

Inside, her temple is laid out in traditional format. In the first chamber, which would have been open to the public, six pillars decorated with a female head stand in the center of the room. Interior chambers, open only to nobles and priests, had similar niches carved into the walls for religious objects. The inner sanctuary contained three weathered statues of Hathor, although is was difficult to make out the features other than the female heads.

The walls are likewise adorned with pictures and hieroglyphics depicting Ramses' coronation (Horus is putting the crown of Egypt on his head), Ramses fighting the Hittites, and oh yes, pictures of Nefertari honoring her husband and offering sacrifices to the gods. A brilliant gold-colored scene of a sacred barque toward the back wall was remarkably vivid and astounding. It was the first temple we had seen so far that actually had some color remaining on the limestone walls...incredible, knowing that this temple was built over 3,000 years ago.

Again, we were the only tourists visiting, and had fun exploring the little chambers and rooms all to ourselves. Later on, a group of Germans arrived on a cruise ship and filled up the temples. But for awhile it was cool to wander around quietly absorbing the sights, imagining the events and people who once inhabited this temple.

Admission is 36 pounds for both temples at Abu Simbel, and the ticket is good until the next morning. That way, you can come back like we did in the evening to see it illuminated at night, and again at sunrise to get great photos.

Most people come for a short visit from Aswan. The bus takes nearly four hours each way, and you visit the sights at Abu Simbel for only two hours. I really enjoyed flying here at noon and staying overnight. We were never hassled by anyone at any time. Locals who roamed the sight never even offered to be our guide or ask for tips. Remarkable!! Since there is a new hotel in town, and the Nefertari Hotel should be completely renovated by now, I would heartily recommend staying overnight.

We boarded the 5 star Sheraton cruise ship in Aswan, surprised to find no electricity or mini-fridge in our cabin. It was spacious enough, but full of thick exhaust fumes when we were moving. The poor ventilation made sleeping difficult worrying about how toxic the fumes were.

There were day tours led by a guide on the ship. He was excellent, the best we had in all of Egypt and Jordan. He made the history come alive by having us act out characters and plots, and providing just the right amount of information in his entertaining lively way. We visited Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak and Luxor Temples with him, and I was sorry when we had to leave.

Afternoons were spent lounging on the top deck of the ship as we cruised down the Nile. We passed lots of lush vegetation, palm trees and bright green agricultural plots of sugar cane. It was interesting to see the people at work and the children at play. On deck, there was a small pool, but most people mingled or laid out on deck chairs soaking up the rays. It was nice to finally meet other tourists and compare travel experiences. We met an Australian named Paul who was traveling by himself. He told us stories of being drugged in a Cairo restaurant, barely able to get away before his body went numb. Others entertained us with scams they had witnessed. This was definitely the slow season, and everyone had stories to report. We only met one other American couple, but they had moved to in Russia years ago.

Meals were served in a large dining room with windows all around to observe the Nile. A buffet salad bar was always available, oddly full of salads and raw vegetables which tourists are warned to avoid. Those that didn't became ill likely because of the water contamination. Seating was assigned, but we often mingled with newfound friends at their tables or ours, as the bulk of the dining room sat empty.

Evenings were spent in the lounge around the pool table, or conversing with friends. One night there was an Egyptian costume party. We all participated in the silly games and little dances. I won a gold colored tin ashtray for winning the toilet paper mummy wrapping contest. Oh boy.

Overall, I enjoyed traveling down the Nile by cruise ship. Great chance to meet interesting, fun people from around the globe. Wonderful guide led excursions. Mediocre food, very expensive sodas, and the ventilation system were a little disappointing.

Kom Ombo was a stunning sight seen from the Nile. Cruising along, admiring the fertile valleys, we suddenly rounded a bend and saw this grand limestone temple on the edge of the shore. Located just 45 km north of Aswan, it can be reached in an hour by bus for two pounds, or by boat in 2-3 hours for twenty-five pounds in a felucca (the ‘official rate'... good luck).

Built in 150 BC, representing the Middle Kingdom, Kom Ombo is a dual temple dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. Their temples side by side have identical, symmetrical features, massive twin doors, pillars, courts, halls, and sanctuaries. Built originally in the 2nd century by Ptolemy VI Philometor, subsequent Greeks and Romans added halls and decorative designs.

At one time, an entrance pylon and outer enclosure wall existed, but was eroded over time by the river, as rising waters deposited silt on the sight and nearly buried it. Later, after the decline of the Roman Empire, a portion of the sight was used as a quarry, and many of the walls were taken down to create new buildings elsewhere.

Prior to entering the main structures, we entered the Roman Chapel of Hathor to view three mummified crocodiles in a small room. I saw the Eye of Horus only twice in Horus' temple, compared to the multitude of croc images in the adjoining temple of Sobek. There was a makeshift hospital between mud brick wall at the rear of the temple. Previous medical instruments that were excavated are now on display in the British Museum. Images of a woman squatting in childbirth, and medical procedures decorated the walls. The Egyptian calendar was also illustrated in confusing detail on one wall.

Of great interest to me, was seeing color on the underside of giant doorways and pillars, still visible after thousands of years on this weathered limestone. Faint red, and more brilliant blues and blacks were preserved best on the ceilings, hidden from the glaring sun. It was the first structure I'd seen with color on the exterior. It must've been an amazing sight to see when all the hieroglyphic images were adorned in color in ancient times!

Hours are 7am-9pm daily. Admission is 10 pounds for adults and only 5 pounds for students, substantially less than other temples.

When our ship docked, we walked down the gangplank to meet our waiting kalishes that had been arranged for us. Each horse-drawn carriage transported four people to Edfu's Temple of Horus located in the middle of a tiny, dusty town.

The largest temple in Egypt, and one of the last great attempts at monument building during the New Kingdom, it took the Greeks 200 years to build. They completed it in 57 BC. The temple is considered to be one of the best preserved, in part due to its distance from the river. Amazingly it was excavated in the 19th century partially beneath the village of Edfu, which had built homes over the ruins.

Huge granite falcons guard the entrance of the 36 meter tall pylon as you enter. At one time huge doors closed the temple entrance, evident by the squares on ceiling which once held the hinges. Must've been some doors! Inside the hypostle hall, there were 12 enormous columns supporting a blackened ceiling, which apparently were ruined from misuse as homeless people used this temple area as a kitchen and built fires. There are numerous halls, passageways, inner chambers and a black granite sanctuary. Beyond the sanctuary, a reproduction of a sacred barque is displayed. Decorated walls throughout the chambers depict stories of Horus, the falcon-headed son of Osiris. Many of the reliefs have been defaced over the years.

In ancient times, this temple was used for many religious ceremonies. A festival to celebrate the divine birth of Horus, and the living king was held annually at Edfu. A live falcon and the pharaoh would both be crowned in the central court. The newly crowned falcon was then placed in the inner chamber to reign in the dark as a living symbol of Horus for a year. In another ceremony, the solar boat containing the statue of Horus was taken to Dendera's temple to cavort with Hathor during the "Festival of the Happy Reunion."

"Crunch, crunch, crunch..." incredibly enough, we were walking on ancient pottery shards on the way out from the temple. Hmmm... But stern looking guards lining the walls prevent curious tourists from picking up the discarded pieces of the past.

You can visit from 7am to 4pm daily for twenty pounds.