Abu Simbel

Well, there was a change in plans. I got up dutifully this morning at 2:45 to get my bus to Abu Simbel at 3:15. (This was one thing I was very excited to see.) We were told about 3:25 that the police would not take us, there was no trip this morning. At first, I really did think that they were joking. Alas, no. No joke. Apparently the weather was acting up. (Too much wind.) While a few of us were quickly trying to process this, there were phone calls to us from the travel companies reorganizing everything for us. In fact, they reorganized for us to go later in the day, to stay at the hotel overnight, to rebook my felucca trip, to move my hotel in Luxor, and make sure my train ticket to Dahab is on the new date. It was really unbeleivable. I have traveled enough not to expect this type of situation to end well. This one apparently did!

We were able to try to get to Abu Simbel this afternoon leaving at 10:30 in the "second" convoy. I went back to sleep, woke up and was ready for the day. Basically it was a long day in a hot (yet apparently air-conditioned) van. Abu Simbel lies 250km south 30 miles from Sudan. It was a trek. We drove and drove in a small packed hot van.

The temple was worth it. While we drove for 3+ hours to get there and only had about 2 hours there, it was worth it. The temple was moved to higher ground due to the construction of Lake Nasser. It still sits however on the edge of the lake and its location is spectacular. Remote and spectacular. There is nothing like it. You walk around the corner and see four immense statues leading into a temple on the edge of this amazing body of water in the very south of Egypt. Wow.

The temple has the "wow" factor you need after a 3 hour drive, and I can only imagine how much more amazing it would have looked at sunrise (hence the early departures). Again covered in heiroglyphics (some painted), it was really remarkable to see. Apparently Ramses II wanted his enemies to see how important and imposing he was. I think they might understand. He has portrayed himself as among the gods and they would have understood that. He also displays his queen Nefertari as an equal (in size) indicating she played an important role in his "administration". There was a secondary temple to the god Hapshut, she is shown as a cow with horns. In this temple Nefertari has her head with horns. (Perhaps Ramses II was making a statement? You are a god, but you have to shown with a cow's head?) HOpefully not. The secondary temple was pretty impressive as well.

After that a quick 3+ hour trip back to Aswan. Of course, our van had some troubles, but we eventually made it. Tomorrow morning is free, and then off on the Felucca overnight. A long but great day. Well worth the hours in the van.