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