Zaina's Zany Adventures - Egypt and Beyond * Installment 8, Part 1 * Aswan, Unfinished Obelisk, Felucca

Informational Sign on the High Dam

Our flight was short and the arrival in Aswan thankfully uneventful.  We were met by our tour guide who ushered us onto the tour bus that would take us to view the Aswan dam and then to the ship. 

Aswan:

                                   Lake Nassar

The High Dam - - (NO VIDEO PLEASE) was completed in 1970 and now holding back the waters of Lake Nassar.  This dam was built to regulate river flooding, more adequately provide water for agriculture and more recently to generate electricity.  However this seems to be a situation of dam-ed if they did and dam-ed if they didn’t.  As to no video; we were allowed to take pictures, but absolutely no video and they do watch to assure you are not taking video.  You will be stopped and we were told either equipment confiscated or photos erased.  We had about 15 minutes here to get out, look around, take a few photos and take in the vast lake - - an enormous body of water. 

Zaina and Oberon on the High Dam

NILE CRUISE EXPERIENCES:

So what we had heard, over and over, was this would be the best part of the entire trip.  And let me tell you, that was not an exaggeration but rather an understatement!  Floating on the Nile is an incredible experience - - I still get goose bumps when I close my eyes and go back there in my minds eye. 

        McDonalds on McNile?   Really?

We had a few hours between arrival at the ship and when we could get into our state rooms, so we waited in the lovely and comfortable lounge.  We were able to get something to drink and just simply chill and even check out the top deck and gift shop - - tummy’s grumbling. Looking around, netted some funny images, one in particular of a McDonalds - - just not what I expected to see on the great River Nile.

Our Room and The Ship:

How do you spell RELIEF?  C-L-E-A-N  R-O-O-M and wonderful staff! 

Setting the seen.  So, when we decided to take the Nile Cruise, I asked about the room and the window.  I wanted to be sure if there was a problem (go ahead, call me paranoid) I could get out a window.  And the way I put it was, “if there is a port hole, it had better be large enough for my butt to get through . . . . “.  I even offered to spend a little more for a larger room. 

The many Nile River Boats
Stacked to the Dock

But, room keys in hand Oberon and I stood hesitantly outside our room, But as we unlocked and opened the door it was to a “lovely site” (and quite a large window thank you very much) - SCORE.  After the previous day’s experience, we were relieved, almost to tears.  Our room was not only clean, but quite comfy – beds cushy, very cool, with soft, clean towels, sweet smelling soap, everything a girl who had just experienced bugs and puce colored, sandpaper like towels could ever want.  Shower and dinner was on my plan, right out of the shoot.  The cruise line in case you are interested was “Movenpick” and we were on the “Royal Lotus” which is a lovely ship and I can’t speak highly enough of the staff.

That evening, during dinner, something completely delightful happened.  We met two charming, totally darling and hysterically funny travel buddies.  Miguel and Helder of Portugal became our (Oberon and my) Knights in Shining Armor, often keeping us entertained as well as keeping watchful eyes on us when we were out at temples touring.  They were a very special gift on this leg of the trip, often resorting to calling us “The Queens” and both of them hypnotized by Oberon’s beautiful eyes of which they couldn’t stop staring into.  They made this part of our trip all the more special and Oberon and I adore them both.  Meeting people from other countries is actually a highlight.  You make friends and continue to stay in touch – a very special treat for those who are not afraid to reach out and communicate.  I am glad we did not listen to the many warnings we were given about making friends and talking to people along the way.  We would have missed those many gifts.

Zaina, with Miguel lounging and Helder holding hands

Aswan:  an ancient city that first was located on Elephantine Island, the main island in Aswan and where the Nile God Hapi lived and the border area between the Egyptian kingdom and the kingdom of Nubia.

Our cruise included visits to the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and the Isis temple (Philae Temple) that lies between the old and the new dam - the Temple was moved to a new island as the first dam put the temple under water. In Aswan the cruise program includes a sail tour on the Nile in a felucca, the traditional Nile sailboats in Egypt.

The Unfinished Obelisk of Aswan

Wow, this was a treat we did not know we would be seeing.  What a site and the explanation amazing.  Explanation: Obelisks were sometimes set at temples, because it was believed they somehow had a cosmic energy path to Earth – like a giant antenna.  These were generally constructed/carved in a granite pit (like this one) and then transported and then erected on site - - and it seems no matter the cost or intense labor. 

This one was never finished because of a very large crack and because of the perceived cosmic pathway, erected in two pieces would stop that flow of energy at said crack.  Had this particular obelisk been finished it would have been the largest ever erected at about 135 feet in height and 1,100 tons - - try floating that down the Nile and pulling it up a sandy hill.

     Oberon and Zaina Floating in the Felucca

Something that totally fascinated me was how they got these monolithic beasts out of the rock quarry they were carved in.  They made a row of holes about four inches wide, and then inserted wood into those holes. Pouring water on the wood made them expand / swell – our tour guide said the expansion was so forceful the rock would split. 

While I am not sure what dolomite rock is, this is what the guide told us the shape of the rock was carved with because this rock is harder/stronger than granite.  The rest of the process included using heated rocks and then pouring cold water over them which would cause the granite to peel off in flake like pieces.  FASCINATING. 

This unfinished, cracked obelisk gave the world perfect insight as to the design and transport of these giants.  So the misfortune of this obelisk has given us a wonderful instrument of ancient construction.

The Felucca, the traditional sail boats of the River Nile:  (really – a must do, out of this world, forever memory) 

Looking out from our Felucca

We took an early afternoon ride in a felucca - - while the boatman was singing as he played an old, bent frame drum - - an experience right out of a movie and one I will never forget.  This was one of those rare moments that my brain kicked in and I managed to get video so the memory is captured for all time.  I think some were secretly hoping we would “see” a hippopotamus, but we had been told that since the building of the damn, they were not in this area of the river and sadly this was true.
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