Along the Nile

Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Luxor, Nile River Valley, Egypt
Salaam Aleikam from Luxor, located in the heart of Egypt. Now this is interesting---although located far south from Cairo in Northern Egypt, Luxor is in an area called Upper Egypt. Because the Nile flows from south to north, Luxor is in Upper Egypt because it is nearer the source of the Nile than Cairo, which is in lower Egypt. (Yes, this will be on the quiz, Bonnie has noted).

Although I was somewhat reluctant to leave Cairo, we flew to Aswan to begin the next phase of our visit. In doing so, I feel compelled to describe the experience we had in the Cairo airport. Although we thought we had become acclimated to the Egyptian ways of doing things, we were not prepared for the mob scene and chaos we encountered there. Security is quite lax for domestic flights and we were swept with the throngs through the secruity area in a giant wave of humanity. There, and at the singular existing gate, the scene reminded me of the part of Miss Saigon where the crowd is clamoring to escape Saigon via helicopter from the beseiged American compound. Everyone had differing destinations, but it seemed that all were determined to get on the one plane there, wherever it was going. In the midst of it all, some guy was going around calling out flight numbers. When our number was called, we could barely hear it above the din, but Bonnie screamed out "YES" as if she had won the bonus game at Bingo. We were sheparded through the throngs, walked out to the tarmac, and boarded our Egyptair plane. Ah, the joys of travel.

Upon arrival in Aswan, we were met by our driver and guide, and immediately shown some of the sites there, both relatively recent (the dam--a mild yawn), and the ancient such as the unfinished obelisk, a huge piece of granite (1100 tons) a half-chisseled out granite stone left in the quarry a few thousand years ago when a flaw was found in the stone and it was abandoned. The sheer size of the thing is impressive, but not nearly as impressive as the thought of it being hand-chiseled out of granite, carved with the intricate stories and depictions, and carried by barge several hundred miles down the Nile where it was to be installed in a temple in Luxor.

 In fact, this is the thought which continually pervades our visits to the many temples, tombs, and monuments that we have seen--the size and scope of the structures, their amazing architecture and precision of design and construction and the feeling they evoke have left us virtually breathless. There were not just haphazardly done-- it is so obvious that they involved extensive knowledge of science, physics, and even math, and not a PC in sight! We find ourselves continually asking-- how did they do this? These things were built to last, and they have. Even the artistic and aesthetics are unimaginable. Imagine painting in colour so permanent that it survives to this day--after 2000 years or more of exposure to the elements, earthquakes, attempts at destruction by the many empires which have passed through here, etc. The one feeling you are left with, at the end of the day, is humility, and evidence of the ingenuity of man. The people who envisaged these structures were driven by intense faith in the gods and in their leaders. The rulers desire to build them were driven by other motivations as well-- the desire to be remembered, to be well-regarded and respected (perhaps feared), the desire for eternal life, and the desire to honour others. Bonnie and I feel so fortunate to be able to be here and to experience it for ourselves. We are continually pinching ourselves.

Aswan also held other joys for us. Being a much smaller city than the monster 20 million people of Cairo, Aswan beats to a slower drum. The pace is much more relaxed and this infuses the visitor with a sense of calm. The desert air and dry heat are tolerable, the air is unpolluted and bathes one in a warmth that you feel deep within. The food is spicy and delicious, the people on the streets less rushed, the traffic more relaxed. These are the joys of Upper Egypt. The Nile here is everpresent, and life revolves upon the sustenance it provides. We had a wonderful time in Aswan, and had great experiences such a lovely sunset sail on a felucca, the type of sailboats found here on the Nile, encompassing a tall majestic sail atop a flatbottomed boat. These glide along the watertop, and lull one into a wonderful sense of peace and well-being. You can see it on Bonnie's face in the pictures I took. What a treat it was watching the sun set over the Nile, the sand hills bathed in the glow of yellows and reds. Earlier in the day, we had taken a motorboat to a Nubian restaurant which laid out a sumptuous meal of many dishes for us to sample. We felt like royalty as dish upon dish appeared. Capped off with an Egyptian beer to stave off the thirst of the day, not a bad way to dine. Afterwards, we took another motorboat to visit a Nubian village down the Nile, in which the people live as they have for hundreds of years. We were invited into a home and offered a drink. Furnishings and decor were eclectic, as they ranged from hand painted murals, crocodile heads (yes, there are crocs on the Nile, but not this far upstream), various wall hangings, and of course the traditional satellite dish!! This is 2009 afterall. Camels wandered the streets, either alone or in groups led by their local handlers. Now, the downside, this village now relies greatly on tourists, and like much of Egypt, everyone is looking to separate you from your money. Shops, individuals on the streets, beggars, and almost everyone, man or child, is hounding you to either buy something or give them something. They have so little and we have so much.

This is pervasive everywhere we have travelled here. It's almost to the point of "You have looked at me, now pay me". Not quite that bad, but almost. If the slightest thing is done for you, a tip is expected. While this is not that big a deal, since the Egyptian pound is worth about 20 cents Canadian, and a few pounds will satisfy most of the minor tips you make along the way, it is like a swarm of fleas. No one bite is all that significant, and barely felt, but in totality, it gets tiresome. You want to give to one and all, but it is just not possible. I have taken to calling this country EGYPTIP. While I am on this rant, the other big annoyance factor here in Egypt is the persistance of vendors of anything and everything. They will hound you to death as you walk along the street, literally pulling you by the arm or blocking your path to take a buggy ride, a cab ride, a visit to their shops, buy whatever they are selling. I guess that they expect to wear tourists' resitance down, and that they will eventually successfully get some Faloos out of you (money in Arabic). It probably works, too. But, in self-defence, here's the approach I've developed.

When hassled/harassed, I start with three LA SHOOKRANs (no, a polite thank you), move to 2 HALLAs (that's enough already), and if all else fails, I hit them with the big one, IMSHEE (now, I don't actually know what this means in Arabic, all I know is that when I once used it, the guy said to me "This not nice!", so I liken it to a 'piss-off' type comment). All is I know, is that this one works! I've advised other tourists to this effect, which has been met with extreme gratitude. Well, enough about that.

We left Aswan via a cruiseship which plies the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. This 3 night trip takes you past farms along the fertile Nile valley, the dunes of raw desert, punctuated with lush vegetation in places. Going downstream , we are being helped by the current. Cruising this way is very popular and our fellow 100 passengers represented Europe and Asia, making for an interesting mix. Our table comprised a pair of Italian newlyweds (with that goofy newlywed look on their faces), a thirty-something German couple, and us. Conversations were animated and lively. We particularly bonded with the German couple, as he and I shared the same demented sense of hunour--we were two peas in a pod, and had just the best time laughing and trying to outdo the other in absurdity of thought and action. The women were patient and tolerant of us, and it was just so much fun for me (and hopefully for Bonnie as well). I foresee a good friendship arising from this chance encounter. While on the cruise, the ship stopped several times along the way to visit important site along the way, a variety of temples dedicated to the gods or to the Pharoahs. The underlying background and stories were provided by our guide, who accompanied us to each site. One could quickly get used to having private guides and drivers everywhere you go, something that we never experienced before. In Egypt, it is definitely the way to go. Either a group or private tour is almost imperative, given the convoluted ways they have of doing things here. We, who are used to the North American or western ways of doing things commonly associated with travel are clearly out of our element here. Things as easy as catching an intercity bus can be a nightmare, as the schedules change daily, or even by the minute. Lots of stuff is done via the backdoor, greased with baksheesh, or friendships, or ???? I imagine that anyone trying anything like independent travel would be flummoxed or frustrated by it all. In contrast, the travel companies make it almost painless. Our agent, Lucky Tours, have been wonderful in finding so many fantastic things for us to do, with an boundless desire to see us satisfied. We feel like we are getting the treatment afforded to the very wealthy, something which do not ordinarily have exposure to.

Back to our trip, today is our second day in Luxor. Luxor, like Aswan is relatively laid back, although it has much to offer the visitor. Foremost among them is the fact that one-quarter of the world's antiquities are found here. The area is rich with treasures such as important temples and tombs in such profusion that it is mind-boggling. On the west bank of the Nile, you find dozens of tombs of important people like some of the Ramses. There were several of them, although Ramses II (the one in the Moses story) is best known for a few things-- he reigned for a remarkable 67 years, well into his 90s, (siring hundreds of children along the way), he built and established many of the important sites still in existance today (you would know him if you saw him, for all of the statues of him which have survived), and for his enormous ego! This guy was out to prove something. He even makes Donald Trump seem humble. He left a huge tomb, too, as he expected to be around for a long, long time, and so his builders had 67 years to expand it.

Another important tomb was one that we all know about--King Tut's. This was the child king who died before the age of 20 and ruled from age 5 on. Yet, despite this, we managed some important accomplishments during his go-round. The thing about his tomb, besides the curse, is the fact that it was one of the rare tombs found un touched by graverobbers. It was full chock a block with everything he would need for the afterlife, you name it, from socks and underwear to jewellry, beds, combs, etc etc. We've all seen pictures of the deathmask, with it's brialliant gold and jewels, and in person it is indeed brilliant. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo has it all, and we visited it while there ( I may have mentioned this in a previous blog entry). Anywho, it's here, and for 20 bucks, you get to go inside the stiffling hot tomb and see, wait for it, not much.

Needless to say, we passed, instead visiting 3 other tombs full of paintings, bas relief carving, hieroglyphics depicting the lives of the residents, etc. We also went to visit a number of other sites like the temple of Hatshepsut (aka Hot chicken soup), a woman who ruled Egypt adopting all the manners of a man (including false beard), faking her birth to a god, and usurping her nephew's rightful place as Pharoah (she had him imprisoned) And all this just to be accepted by the masses. Imagine Hillary Clinton, with a vengeance.

We visited two other important sites here in Luxor, the Karnak temple and the Luxor temple. The first is really cool because it started as a small temple to the sun god Amun-Ra. But each successive pharoah wanted to make their mark by adding and modifying this site. Over centuries, it grew to a huge development, comprising several temples, courtyards, a sacred lake, sanctuaries, masses of huge columns, dozens of small sphinxes, several, obelisks, and much much more. It was a very sacred place and the scene of festivals, prayers, annointment, and animal sacrifices to the gods. Truly amazing. The heat of the day (36 degress) made a visit to this site difficult and Bonnie and I were virtually attached to our water bottle. Later that night we returned to attend a Sound and Light show, which in the darkness of the night left me with an eerie feeling, as if the souls of all who had pssed before us were still present in the shadows. Either that, or the exposure to the day's sun had turned my mind into hummous.

Today, we are in relaxation mode. Bonnie is at a museum nearby while I am worshipping the God of Byte at the altar of the keyboard. Afterwared the hotel pool awaits. Tonight, we have a special treat in store. We are on another felucca ride to Banana Island to visit the banana plantation and the crocs which reside here. Another sunset is in store, so I will have my camera at the ready. It has, of course, been in overdrive this entire trip. Let's just say I've taken a picture or two.
 
Tomorrow, Wednesday, we bus it to Hurghada, a resort on the Africa side of the Red Sea, known for its crystalline water, golden sand, and excellent diving. Hopefully there's some snorkeling in the picture for us. After a few days there, we hydrofoil it to Sharm el Sheik on the Asian side of the Red Sea for another several days of R&R. The whirlwind pace of the trip thus far has worn us down and we need to recharge the batteries for the Israel phase to begin. We've booked an 5-star all-inclusive at a phenomentally low price (partially economy situation, low season, and good value of dollar vs Egyptian pound). Access to the net should be much better than it was these past several days so I hope another entry will come your way within 2-3 days.

As always, thanks for your great feedback in the comments section of this blog, your emails, and your interest in our trip. We feel so blessed to have you in our lives.

As they say in these parts, A salaama.

David and Bonnie
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Comments

cissie.retired
2009-05-19

Upper Egypt
WOW! what a wonderful detailed description of your time south of Cairo. I had no idea that 20 million live in Cairo, so Luxor and Karnak must seem slow by comparison. I'm so enjoying your trip by reading your entries...regards to Bonnie and do continue to enjoy and write about the next leg of your journey.
Cecile L

melissagquest
2009-05-29

Incredible
I feel like I'm there with you, David. What a treat! And, as I think I've said before, I can hardly wait to see your 'photo or two'. I hope you brought extra memory cards! Keep the blogs coming!

Mici

2025-02-10

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