Egypt Travel Part VI: Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VI: Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Day 5 Sunday, 17 Dec 2017
Aswan to Abu Simbel by Coach
Early in the morning, we left our cruise boat on River Nile in Aswan and travelled south to Abu Simbel by coach to visit a temple complex, Abu Simbel Temple Complex, that consisted of two temples, the Great Temple and Small Temple.
Ticket to visit the Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Ticket for visiting Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Tour group posing a photo in front of the Great Temple on 17 Dec 2017
In front of the temple there are four large statues of King Ramesses II at different ages.
Tour group visiting Abu Simbel Temples on 17 Dec 2017
The Great Temple was built for three deitises, Ra-Harakhty, Ptah and Amun, and King Ramesses II(1303-1213 B.C.)
Writer and wife at Abu Simbel Temples
The Abu Simbel Temple Complex consists of the Great Temple and Small Temple.
They were built in the 1264-1244 B.C. period during the reign of King Ramesses II.
Two Abu Simbel Temples: Great Temple and Small Temple
The Great Temple of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex was built for three deities and King Ramesses II
The Great Temple was built for three deities and King Ramesses II.
The Small Temple of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex was built for Goddess Hathor and King Ramesses II’s consort, Nefertari.
The Small Temple was built for Goddess Hathor and King Ramesses II’s consort, Nefertari.
Writer holding an “ankh”(a cross with a handle) that symbolises life at the entrance of the Great Temple
Writer holding an “ankh” that symbolises life at the entrance of the Great Temple
Relocation of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Lake Nasser which is 200 metres from the Abu Simbel Temple Complex is a large artificial lake created by the construction of Aswan High Dam. It causes the relocation of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex to the present high ground in the period of 1964-1968 during which the dam was being built.
Lake Nasser. a large artificial lake, created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam
Lake Nasser, an artificial lake, created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam
Returning to Aswan
Having seen the two temples of the Abu Simbel Temple Complex, we travelled back to our cruise boat at Aswan where we had lunch.
Tour group returned to boat to have lunch after a visit to Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Felucca Sailing Boat Ride on River Nile
In the afternoon we boarded a wooden sailing boat known as felucca. It has a triangular sail known as lateen.
Feluccas sailing on River Nile, Aswan
Feluccas sailing on River Nile, Aswan
Tour group boarding a felucca to experience the small wooden boat ride
Tour group boarded a felucca to experience the small wooden boat ride.
Singing
As our felucca was sailing along River Nile, two crew men sang a few simple English songs and we joined them, too. After an hour on the felucca, we boarded a motor-boat that brought us to a Nubian village on Elephantine Island on River Nile and near Aswan City.
Two felucca crewmen were entertaining the tour group with simple English songs. The latter then joined them.
Two felucca crewmen were entertaining the tour group with simple English songs. The latter then joined them.
Mausoleum of Aga Khan III
On the way to a Nubian Village, we saw a pink building on a high bank of River Nile. It was Mausoleum of Aga Khan III built in 1959.
Sir Aga Khan III or Sultan Muhammed Shah(1877-1957) was the 48h. Iman of the Nizari Ismaili Community in Egypt. He died in 1957 and two years later he was buried in the mausoleum there requested by one of his wives.
Mausoleum of Aga Khan III sitting on a high bank of River Nile, Aswan
Mausoleum of Aga Khan on a high bank as seen from a motor-boat on River Nile
Nubian Village
Soon we reached the Nubian village. It was a small village with a few streets lined with stalls and shops. Most of them were selling souvenirs ranging from apparels to home-made jewellery.
A Nubian village on Elephantine Island
A Nubian village on Elephantine Island as seen from River Nile, Aswan
Tour group arriving at a Nubian village on Elephantine Island, Aswan
Tour group arriving at a Nubian village on Elephantine Island, Aswan
Figurines of Nubian people for sale at a stall in the village
A souvenir stall selling figurines of Nubian people in a village
Home-made jewellery for sale
A stall selling colourful home-made jewellery
A grocery shop selling coloured spices in the village
A grocery shop selling coloured spices
A grocery selling a wide variety of daily necessities in the village
A grocery selling a wide variety of daily necessities in the Nubian village
A Small School
In the village, we entered a class-room in a small school and a Nubian teacher taught us some Arabic words.
A small Nubian village school on Elephantine Island, Aswan
A small Nubian village school on Elephantine Island, Aswan
Tour group learning some Arabic words at a Nubian small village school, on Elephantine Island, Aswan
A Nubian teacher teaching tour group some Arabic words at a village school
Crocodiles
Then we visited a senior villager’s house where he treated us to some home-made bread and showed us his prized possessions which were crocodiles. He encouraged us to choose one for a camera-shot. A larger one could be seen in a locked cage.
Tour group tasting Nubian home-made bread at a senior villager’s house
Tour group tasting Nubian bread at a senior villager’s house
The senior villager encouraged the group tour to choose a crocodile on a table for a camera-shot.
Tour group were encouraged to choose a crocodile for a camera shot
A brave tour-member holding a baby crocodile for a camera-shot while the senior villager was watching her
A brave tour member holding a baby crocodile for a camera shot while the senior villager was watching her
A young, brave tour-member holding a baby crocodile for a camera-shot
A young, brave tour member holding a baby crocodile for a camera shot
Tour group watching a large crocodile in a locked cage
Tour group watching a large crocodile in a locked cage
Night scenes of Nubian village in the foreground and Aswan City in the background
Night scenes of Nubian village in the foreground and Aswan city in the background
A brightly-lit business street in the Nubian village
A brightly-lit business street in the Nubian village
Another brightly-lit business street in the Nubian village
Another brightly-lit business street in the Nubian village
Tour Group leaving the Nubian Village
In the evening we left the Nubian Village and went back by a motor boat to our cruise boat to rest.
Tour group leaving the Nubian village by a motor-boat
Tour group leaving the Nubian village in a motor-boat
(Continue in Egypt Travel Part VII)
Egypt Travel Parts I to XII
Egypt Travel Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Egypt Travel Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Egypt Travel Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Egypt Travel Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Egypt Travel Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Egypt Travel Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Egypt Travel Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Egypt Travel Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part X :Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Egypt Travel Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar