Our felucca ride to the Nubian Village. The Nubians are an ethnic group which originated in southern Egypt and northern Sudan. The Nubian language is distinct from Arabic.
Approaching the colorful waterfront of the Village.
Sadly, the flooding occasioned by the construction of the Aswan Dam buried underwater most history of the region.
The drive to Abu Simbel and Aswan would through absolutely desolate country. What shimmers in the distance, in the photo below, is a mirage.
Lake Nassar, the largest man-made lake in the world
Abu Simbel, carved for Ramses II and his wife, Nefertari, in the 13th Century BC. When the Aswan dam was planned, the site of this complex would have been flooded and lost forever. In one of the most incredible engineering projects ever, Abu Simbel was disassembled into 1,700 pieces, most weighing tons, and moved to its current site. The mountain towering over the statues is entirely man-made.
Ramses II
There are many beautiful chambers throughout the complex.
Detailed artwork abounds.
The entrance to Nefertari's temple
It is said that Egyptians invented the Doris Day hairstyle.
Below, a photo of the Aswan Dam
This body of water is known as "The Lake Between the Two Damns", as it is situated between the old damn on the Nile and the newer Aswan Dam.
The Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Isis
Persistent flooding was slowly destroying the temple. Accordingly, and remarkably, the entire complex was moved in the 1970's to its current location on an entirely different island.
The best example in Egypt of a structure incorporating Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman styles of columns.
A young man who pulled alongside our boat and, in exchange for tips, sang.
Don't believe the smile. I was lousy at riding a camel and hated every minute of it.
Kon Ombo
The temple was built as a place to worship the Gods Horus and Sobek, the Crocodile God
A photo of the well at the Temple
Sunset shot at the temple
The Crocodile Museum features a collection of mummified crocodiles
