So I did something today that I think I've only ever done once before in my life - watch the sunrise and the sunset on the same day!
So our wakeup call this morning was at 4:15am.
!!
Yes, apparently there *is* a 4:15 in the morning.. who knew!
We were off the boat at 4:45 to walk around to the temples of Abu Simbel.
This was the best idea ever (the original itinerary has you going there at like three in the afternoon - when it's crazy hot and the lighting is all wrong). So we were sitting in front of the temples as the sun rose which was way cool. Had a look inside both temples. It's just amazing the amount of work that went into not only the original creation of the monuments, but also to move them to higher ground when the lake started filling up behind Aswan High Dam. The larger temple has not only the main passage, but also a series of little side rooms. We had the place almost entirely to ourselves. There was just one other couple that came and went.
The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Sunrise over Lake Nasser
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel at dawn
The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel at dawn
The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel at dawn
Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel at dawn
Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel at dawn
Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel at dawn
Inside the Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel
Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari at Abu Simbel at dawn
Photo by Dad
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
Inside The Great Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel
So we had a couple of hours there, and were back on the boat a little before seven.
Cast off from our mooring and motored around to see the temples from the lake which was great as well. People on coach trips from Aswan were arriving as we left. They had to get up at like 2am or something silly to make it down for the early morning. Craziness!
The Great Temple of Ramesses II from Lake Nasser
Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari from Lake Nasser
Temples at Abu Simbel from Lake Nasser
Me and Dad and the Temples of Abu Simbel on the MS Prince Abbas
Photo by Mum
Then we had breakfast - buffet style.
And then I attempted to get a little more sleep. Not sure how successful I was.
Our next stop was Qasr Ibrim. Although we didn't actually get off the boat, just had a look at the fortress and then moved on.
Qasr Ibrim fortress from Lake Nasser
Qasr Ibrim fortress from Lake Nasser
Lunch was off a menu again. Very swishy.
After lunch I washed three tshirts, then we stopped at Amada to see the temples. It was *hot* here! Got to the beach on lighters and saw the Amada temple. This temple they brought up the hill in one piece by reinforcing it and separating it from the bedrock and dragging the whole thing up the hill on railway tracks.
Temple of Derr
On the tender heading for the shore
Temple of Amada
Inside the Temple of Amada
Inside the Temple of Amada
Inside the Temple of Amada
Inside the Temple of Amada
Inside the Temple of Amada
Me with scorpions! Yeah this guy thought it would be funny (ha ha) to put them where he did. uh huh.
Photo by Dad
Also saw the smaller Derr temple and Pennut's tomb. Sadly a good chunk of the wall carvings in the tomb had been stolen in the 1960s after it was moved so there's great gouges in the walls where the carvings had been taken :(
Temple of Derr
Inside the Temple of Derr
Inside the Temple of Derr
Inside the Temple of Derr
Inside the Temple of Derr
Me with a crocodile!
Photo by Mum
Tomb of Pennut
Inside the Tomb of Pennut
Inside the Tomb of Pennut
Cactus flower on the shores of Lake Nasser
Did a bit of computer stuff before afternoon tea, then I had a swim in the pool on the top deck. It's a bit of a silly shaped pool, either too deep or too shallow, but it was certainly refreshing!
Irrigated fields on the shores of Lake Nasser
Rocky shores of Lake Nasser from the MS Prince Abbas
Photo by Dad
Got out and watched the sunset. And then walked across to the other side of the boat and saw the moonrise! (well it had already risen) I think it's a perigee full moon tomorrow night. Must remember to try and see it.
Sunset over Lake Nasser from the MS Prince Abbas
Sunset over Lake Nasser from the MS Prince Abbas
Sunset over Lake Nasser from the MS Prince Abbas
Nearly full moon over Lake Nasser
Before dinner there were cocktails - there was a tequila sunrise, and a whiskey sour (I had that one - it was really nice), and a couple of non-alcoholic ones.
Me about to get a cocktail on the MS Prince Abbas
Photo by Mum
Dinner was a buffet of Egyptian food, which was pretty good.
Then back to the room to do photo and blog stuff.
Distance covered on the GPS: 149 km
Steps walked: 12333 (6000 before 7am!)
Photos on the Canon: 220
Photos on the Sony: 20
Videos: 11
EGP Spent: 23
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