Friday, October 27, 2006
26/10 Shukrun, Shukrun, Shukrun, Mutazz for insisting I book a Nile cruise. The few hours a day cruising on the peace of the water, watching the Egyptian world slip by has been so peaceful and relaxing. A holiday wihtin a holiday. I can feel the tension in my shoulders release and the ache in my eyes relax as soon as I get back up on the top deck. It is particularly beautiful in the late afternoon with the softer light and dropping temperature. But even in the heat of the day, it is a rejuvenating feeling. The river is getting cleaner as we progress upstream; the desert continues to sit heavily just out of reach; seeming to threaten the lush fertility of this thin ribbon of green and blue.
The temples are impressive but the atmosphere, emotion, culture are what will stay in my heart. Cairo was great, but this is the real Egypt.
It is a holiday and families are picnicing on the river bank. Palm frond shelters shade men, women and children. They swim fully clothed, take their horses and cows into the water for a swim too. This is Egypt...so relaxed...family enjopying each others company.
Kom Ombo Temple this morning. Three things make it unique
1. It was a centre for medicine and you can see the prescriptions in the heiragliphs (spelling?)
2. It details the calendar of the time by the crops - 3 seasons - growing, harvesting, flooding
3. Only temple dedicated to two gods - Horus 2nd and a crocodile
Visited the Unfinished Obelisk, High Dam and Philae Temple this afternoon. The high dam is above the old dam wall, which forms a lake between the two dams. In this area, the Philae Temple was sinking into the mud, so they spent 4 years moving the 1.25 million pieces to a higher point anbd reconstructing it!
As you can see I am templed out...oops, sorry to anyone who wanted more history...
This evening we had a belly dancing and 'whorling dervish' dancing display. The man was amazing. Spinning in one direction at speed for about 1/2 hour. He had many quilted layers of skirt that swung out around him like as top as he spun. He would also spin them up over his head and along his arms - like we might hulla hoop - but with fabric that took its shape from the speed of his spin.
Note: Nile had crocs but not below the high dam now. Freshies - up to 3m in length and aggressive like our salties.
The temples are impressive but the atmosphere, emotion, culture are what will stay in my heart. Cairo was great, but this is the real Egypt.
It is a holiday and families are picnicing on the river bank. Palm frond shelters shade men, women and children. They swim fully clothed, take their horses and cows into the water for a swim too. This is Egypt...so relaxed...family enjopying each others company.
Kom Ombo Temple this morning. Three things make it unique
1. It was a centre for medicine and you can see the prescriptions in the heiragliphs (spelling?)
2. It details the calendar of the time by the crops - 3 seasons - growing, harvesting, flooding
3. Only temple dedicated to two gods - Horus 2nd and a crocodile
Visited the Unfinished Obelisk, High Dam and Philae Temple this afternoon. The high dam is above the old dam wall, which forms a lake between the two dams. In this area, the Philae Temple was sinking into the mud, so they spent 4 years moving the 1.25 million pieces to a higher point anbd reconstructing it!
As you can see I am templed out...oops, sorry to anyone who wanted more history...
This evening we had a belly dancing and 'whorling dervish' dancing display. The man was amazing. Spinning in one direction at speed for about 1/2 hour. He had many quilted layers of skirt that swung out around him like as top as he spun. He would also spin them up over his head and along his arms - like we might hulla hoop - but with fabric that took its shape from the speed of his spin.
Note: Nile had crocs but not below the high dam now. Freshies - up to 3m in length and aggressive like our salties.
# posted by The Essence of Good Taste @ 4:59 PM 
