Egypt: Following the Nile

Don't come in!!!!!

Super fun time taking the 1960's overnight train from Cairo to Aswan; or more generally to where the mighty Nile slips quietly from Sudan into Egypt. It's a distance of 1000 kms and as I attempted sleep that night, I am sure I felt each and every rail tie along the way. The train reluctantly lurches along between the tracks trying it's best to derail and permanently end it's ill-kept existence. It's cheap travel and that is the only redeeming factor. Even though the cost is about the same as a night in a hotel -  take the bus! Two fist fights broke out in the car and later two guys tried to force me out of my seat as they didn't have seats of their own. The standoff was tense but I employed my now proven and famous yelling techniques again alleging awesome though non-existing Kung  fu techniques .... and that did the trick. Hiiiiiiigggggghhhhh ya!!!




The region is the home to the Nubia tribe, distinctly African looking and in fact, looking very much like Sudanese folks to the south. That's not surprising given geographic proximity but they bear they little resemblance to the Egyptians of the North that are light skinned and Arabic looking. The Nubians are very dark skinned, tall and slender.
They are a very beautiful and generally peaceful people whose history has been characterized by serving the needs of one or another the Pharaonic empire. The conquered and the conquerors... a familiar historical theme.


I joined a couple others at 4am as we joined a military convoy heading from Aswan down to Abu Simbel. The convoy is necessary as we are headed into a remote region due to abductions and persistent threats that make the protection of tourists necessary. The Egyptian government is doing all it can to protect and improve the critical business of tourism in this important crossroads of civilization but it's a tough chore. It was a bit thrilling watching the military crisply organizing the convoy in the pre-dawn light. Such fuss for a handful of people. There was no fooling around as we surrendered passports and explained our exact intensions for the day. Now - it's a 3 hour car ride and a perfect time to sleep!!



The Aswan High Dam and resultant Lake Aswan is controversial to be sure. The damming (damning) of the Nile created both a crocodile sanctuary and the 550 km long lake that is the water supply that consistently provides this important resource for an entire year. Both the agricultural and hydro electrical needs are well serviced due to this impressive undertaking. But at what cost? I visited the museum at Aswan and looked carefully at a number of pictures of the more than 1600 monuments destroyed by the flooding of the region. Are these treasures of humanity really being destroyed just to meet the needs of a population intent on modernization at any costs. What have I been prepared to sacrifice in my own country for my immediate needs? Hmmmmm

The Nile has flowed for eternity and people have persistently made their lives on its banks and deltas. 5000 years of history destroyed for the urgent needs determined over the past 200 years. I guess it's fair to say my perspective has changed  and my support for the immediacy of satisfying the needs of of our post- industrial revolutionary facebook driven existence are in need of challenge.


Abu Simbel is a perfect example of this. Rescued by UNESCO just before the water rose to claim it forever, it was moved 100 meters up the bank to keep it just out of reach. The entire temple was cut into blocks and then reassembled. They did a brilliant job.

You get a pretty good perspective in the first picture with 2 people standing at the base of the 4 colossal Ramses II sculptures magnificently carved into the rock. But you can never appreciate the reality without a visit to the site.

As they say - pictures simply do not do it justice. Built to warn would be attackers from Southern Africa, the work is indeed imposing and conveys great power and strength.It is at first overwhelming and impossible to believe. As a fan of sculpture.... how did they get that so perfect in one take? As you stand there - it is truly a magnificent awe-inspiring sight in the middle of nowhere, bathed in the early morning light with the 43 degree heat slealthily creeping up on you like an assassin. It was here that I was fortunate to find the key to eternal life in the temple. This oughta' come in handy I think. Indian Jones - "in your face" !!!"

The inside of the temple is littered with impressions of offering to the Gods. In essence I saw this and other monuments as expressing two themes.

• We are big and powerful and will not hesitate to destroy all attackers. Like the WWF wrestler Hulk Hogan!
• He has really good credit with the gods. So many offering clearly documented. It's sort of like the Equifax report you can receive today detailing your credit score. Ramses pay his bills!

 


Back in Aswan and then traveling the few hours up to Luxor, I wandered the streets in search of food.... fortuitously finding fresh Falafels and babaganouche at a roadside stand. This has become a welcome mainstay of my Egyptian diet. Not only delicious but two Falafels in Pita and a 2 liter bottle of water are about $1.50. I like that! The center of the city is a beautiful outdoor museum that you can enjoy without the cost of admission and while just out for a stroll.

Above is the view from my 4/5 start hotel looking across the Nile to the Valley of the Kings arguably, and in my opinion the most impressive ancient site seen so far in my travels. First though - a note about the hotel - I got the room for about $15 and I doubt there were many other guests in the building. So desperate are the hotels, that they will take almost any amount to try to stay open with the hope of better days to come. The infrastructure is built to cater to thousands and thousands of guests but only a couple hundred were in Luxor that day I am guessing.

The Valley of the Kings is about as low key an entrance as you will ever see. It's a veritable sandbox save a few equally sandy hills to break the otherwise completely boring and monotonous landscape. It's home to the recently discovered tomb of King Tut and 67 other cool Kings. On rotation, any given day will see only 3 tombs open due to the worry of moisture from people breathing and I guess touching the inside of the tombs.

Early McDonalds drive trough

I have to report, with great sadness, that in each of the 3 tombs we visited, the guards charged with preventing pictures and touching were actually encouraging me to do what I liked in exchange for "something small". I have no doubt that for $10 you could chip a piece off a chunk - o - tomb as a cool souvenir. I spoke to a number of people about this and the consensus is that its the fault of the government for paying such poor wages to the custodians of the various sites. What complete bullshit and abdication of responsibility for such an important historical treasures. Grrrrrrrrr

 I chose not to to take any photographs inside the tombs but what I saw that day is indelibility etched on my mind. Two of the tombs were just ok - but the tomb of Ramses 4 was absolutely amazing!!!! The colors rich and looked as if painted yesterday rather than nearly 5000 years ago. The detail sublime, the architecture complex and the aesthetics overwhelming. Imagine the early discoverers who no so long ago, found the entrance and with flashlight in hand looked upon treasures and art not seen for over 40 centuries. It is magnificent.

Hatshepsut Temple - site of the 1997 Massacre

Above on the left is a shot from Hatshepsut  temple. She was the only female Pharaoh in ancient Egypt that time Also unfortunate is the amount of restoration that has completely altered the appearance and character of the site. Its a good example of good intensions doing more harm than good. And even more unfortunate, that it is site where 70 tourists died in 1997 during the Hatshepsut massacre. I think the current climate does not bode well for peaceful and respectful relations between East and west. I hope I'm wrong.

Thanks for reading - Layno

Egypt: Sand sun and surprises in Cario

28 million people...give or take......busy place!!

I really enjoy travel. There is an indescribable excitement that comes with seeing everything as new even after 53 years on the planet.  Potentially a new adventure lurks just around every corner awaiting discovery; it truly is a fantastic time. Sheesh! It's super-charged living that transports you to a place where time stands still and your senses come fully alive!

And to "enhance" my travel adventures, I try to "travel like a local" as the expression goes. But regardless of the travel path/philosophy you chose - you are a naive visitor and as such...will have challenges along the way.  I suspect the 5-star cruise folks have a different set of challenges than the ones I encountered on this trip and others. At the same time - I think travel is the secret o healing our world and the mistrusts that exist between us. Hostel or Hilton... just get out there.

For example - after arriving at the airport in Cairo - I resolved that I was not going to take a cab into the city...but resigned myself to the local bus. (Ya know - travel like a local) So who knew that finding someone who speaks English would be so darned tricky. A bit of walking with my backpack and 2 hours of asking, gesturing and basically doing anything I could think of - got me on a bus pointed in the right direction. I thought. There are no english signs...but of course - why would there be???? Duh!

So!  - 36 degrees and now wilting a bit, I got off the bus completely lost..somewhere in Cairo, a city of 28 million souls. I needed water badly... and once in hand (even buying that was tricky)...I started off to try to find the center of town. As I took a long deep drink from the bottle   - finally feeling that my situationist was improving and under control - out of the blue -  I got hit by a car!!  I did a Simone Biles - type gold medal worthy  roll back onto my feet but my water bottle was sacrificed as was my spirit of peace and forgiveness. The woman who had hit me just looked at my blankly and after a moment - drove off. I was fine but not super happy. Nameste? Fuck that! Traffic is truly crazy here.... check out the picture of the woman sidesaddle on the motorcycle with a baby on her lap. I think she may have been breast feeding. :) The incessant honking is hard to understand. No one is going anywhere most often! Nothing to do....may as well honk.

Next pickle - a nice young chap who offered to help me find my hotel tried to scam me and then brought in the muscle to make me pay for services not rendered..I yelled about police, Kung Fu, etc. (my version of shock and awe) .... scaring them enough to make a hasty exit. Rookie mistakes one and two...know where you are going and don't accept help from strangers unless you're truly buggered.... grrrrr.

I saw a Hiat Regency in the distance (like a mirage) so headed there to get refocused. After a $10 cup of coffee, I managed to get WIFI and directions to my hostel figured out. Bruised, hot, tired, thirsty, and hungry....I found my hostel.....and never took a single cab!!!!! How impressive is that!!!! (Incidentally the cab would have been less than the Hiat coffee...but it's the principle - damn it!)

An historical trip through Egypt really should start with Saqqara and the first city of Memphis where early Pharaonic Egypt becomes tangible. Not a pretty pyramid, and it's a stepped-sided rather than the ubiquitous smooth-sided units we are so familiar with, but it dates back to roughly 3000 BC. It's the oldest constructed building in the world.  And! they (at least the main ones) are on the edge of the city. Apartment building, apartment building, apartment building then a  Pyramid....hey wait a minute! In fact you can see them from downtown. Saqqara needs to be followed up with a visit to Giza (this is the name of the city which is the other side of the Nile) to see the sphinx guarded largest grandest and most impressive pyramids of all.


 A friend of mine Daniel, having recently returned from a trip through Egypt remarked that the ruins belong to the world... are treasures of humanity and while located in Egypt , belong to each of us. It was a controversial remark to be sure and one I didn't agree with at the time. Now, having visited a number of sites (more on this later) I do agree. While there are programs in place to protect these magnificent ancient artifacts from grimy fingers, most of those responsible for doing so spend their time encouraging visitors to do whatever they wish in exchange for "something small". It's shameful and disturbing on a number of levels.

Regardless - the structures are impressive and as I wandered up to Cheops (the largest, and oldest of the 3 main ones at the site) on the back of that grumpy camel, I was overwhelmed with the sense of historical significance. There were maybe 25 other people with me at Giza where pre-revolutionary days prior to the 2011 the Arab Spring would see 18,000 visitors or more. Lucky for me Morsi and the Muslim brotherhood (and other marginally associated political/religious elements) have scared off tourists to such an extent that there is almost no one around. It's not so good for Egyptians that's for darned sure. This is also due to the fact that I picked the hottest time of the year to go. The temp ranged between 32 and 44 on the days I was there. What goofball goes to Egypt in August? Hmmm. (On most days I worked my way through 4 - 2 liter bottles of water....and was still dehydrated.)

5000 years (give or take) have passed since construction..... how many generations have come and gone I thought? I read that not long ago a chamber at Saqquara (2013)was found with 8 million mummified dogs. The amount of effort that has gone on is truly staggering and the number of new discoveries will continue for some time I suspect.

Ramses 2 (My favoritest Pharo) at Memphis. 20m in length, perfect and such just look at the features. Benevolence in stone?

I think it was Henry David Thoreau who said something like; "who cares about the pyramids and those who built them...what more interesting things were going on at the time" A clever and thought-provoking idea at the time I thought - but here's the thing; when you sit and stare the at monolithic monstrosities and consider the complexity and elegance over the head of a grumpy camel... you have a unique perspective that you don't get just reading a book. Ahaaaaaa...

I finished out the day with a Nile river dinner cruise that included Babaganouche that made my toes curl, hummus so delicious that is brought tears of joy and a belly dancer so skilled that one couldn't tell whether she danced to the music or the music played to her rhythm...matching her every sensuous move with precision.

Thanks for reading Layno!