Morning … 6.00 am … 11°C, light wind blowing; noticeable but not uncomfortable.
Visit Abu Simbel Rock Temple
Stand at water’s edge and look upon Abu Simbel (pictured below left) … dedicated to Ra-Harakhty, Ptah and Amun …
Egypt’s then deities … featured four statues of Ramesses ll … built around 1200 B.C. … Nubian village … southern Egypt, bordering Sudan … watch sunrise over west bank of Lake Nasser … 230 km southwest of Aswan … feeling of awe … unforgettable!
Dedicated to Goddess Hathor … smaller temple sitting next to Abu Simbel (pictured above right) … personified by Nefertari, Ramesses II most beloved, of his many wives.
In 1964; a multinational team of architects and engineers … under UNESCO banner … spanning over 4 years, cutting average 20-ton large blocks … took about 9 years to re-locate and re-assemble this ancient temple … 65 metres higher, 200 metres back from the Nile … when the Aswan Dam was built.
Travel by road or fly to the specially constructed airfield for the temple complex …
A must visit destination in Egypt.
Cruise along the Nile in luxurious comfort
Or sail in a Felucca … local means of Nile transport for Egyptians … or make time to do both … you will not be disappointed.
See ‘The Green Mile’ of Egypt
Irrigated crops along the Nile … subsurface 1.5m deep drains … allowing greater agricultural control … diverted city flood waters … making best use of the Nile waters … delicate balance of Egypt’s crops beside Sahara Desert.
Earliest reference of irrigation was found on mace head of …The Scorpion King … about 3100 B.C.
Visit outskirts of Cairo … Giza Necropolis … Pyramids beside city skyline …
4000 year-old ancient majesty … alongside the Sphinx … a mythical creature … lion’s body … human head … symbolises strength and wisdom …
Unexplained mysteries … alongside modern city-scape.
Walk amongst the Pyramids … Sphinx … bathe in ancient Egyptian history … a sense of euphoria and exotic grandeur of an ancient civilisation … a civilisation with amazing construction feats without modern aids and technology.
Check out Taxis of Sahara
Taking passengers for a ride along desert’s edge … beside Great Pyramids, Sphinx in Giza, Cairo … an experience not to be missed …
Take a day trip to … ‘Pearl of the Mediterranean’ … Alexandria port city
Founded in 331 BCE by Alexander the Great … a seat of learning … largest, most prosperous city of ancient world.
Visit 15th century seafront Fort Qaitbey Citadel … now a museum in Alexandria …
Visit the Royal Library of Alexandria
Picture postcard modern serenity … with ultramodern ‘Bibliotheca Alexandrina’.
Started under Ptolemy I (305-285 BCE) … completed by Ptolemy II (285-246 BCE) … home to thousands of books, journals, manuscripts of Egyptian history … one of the largest, most significant libraries of ancient world …
It was once claimed that Mark Anthony once gave Cleopatra 200,000 books for the library …
Do you know … cumin, coriander and cinnamon were among the most well-known spices found in early days of Egypt?
And these three spices; along with toasted nuts, salt and garlic was used to create the popular spice blend we know today as dukkah …
Egypt … awe-inspiring experience for your senses!
