aswan Archives

One of the interesting aspects of going on a cruise with Viking is the exposure to historical context at many levels. During our time in and around Aswan, there were a variety of visits that included more than just ancient temples. We visited a Nubian village as part of this immersion.

Here’s an image from this visit…

As part of the construction of the Aswan High Dam both people and temples were affected. Some of the temples have been high profile projects, such as Abu Simbel and Philae. What should not be lost is that many village were forced to move and these people needed to carve out a new living.

These Nubian villages were given plots of land, such as the one in the photo to re-establish themselves. As we were lucky enough to be able to visit one of their homes, we could experience a bit of this. More photos in the future on this subject!

On the list of well-known sites to visit in Egypt, Abu Simbel is near the top, likely only surpassed by Giza and the temple complexes in Luxor. It has been at the top of my list for a long time, and I can tell you that it lives up to its well-earned reputation. The entire story of this complex and its rescue from the impact of the Aswan High Dam is spell-binding!

Here’s an interior view of the Ramses II temple at the site…

The scale and detail inside the temple are stunning! There is amazing detail to be found everywhere to speak of the great deeds of Ramses II.

Even more interesting to me is the temple dedicated to Ramses II’s favorite queen, Nefertari…

The scale is almost at that of Ramses’ temple, and the stories told inside this temple are even more interesting!

Overall, our visit here was enhanced by the fact that we nearly. had this amazing site to ourselves, so we could admire the incredible work done to save this temple complex from Lake Nasser.

Just a taste for today, as I’ll write some more detailed blog posts in future editions!