After a 13.5 hour overnight ride on the sleeper train from Cairo we arrived in Aswan about 10.45am this morning. As the train followed the Nile from Luxor I was amazed to see many farmers working with donkeys in the fields. It seemed like much hasn't changed since biblical times.
First stop was a short boat ride to Philae Temple. In a 13 year UNESCO project it was cut into 40 000 pieces and moved to a new island, due to the Aswan High dam being built on the Nile. Though it doesn't fit perfectly on the island and the carvings have been altered over the years, it is still incredible. Luckily for us there were no other visitors, unfortunate for the vendors who are struggling to make sales despite their desperate attempts to sell us items.
Prayer time, even for the security staff.
An unusual sight on the main street of Aswan.
The Cataract hotel, where Agatha Christie stayed while she wrote Death on the Nile. One of the most expensive hotels in Egypt but didn't seem to have many lights on as we went past on our way back to our hotel.
We went for dinner in a Nubian village, on a nearby island. It is considered poor by local standards but not by my South Sudanese standards. They had electricity, street lights, a well staffed primary school and hospital, water to their brick houses and satellite tv. We got to eat dinner sitting on mats on the roof of the mayor's house, which was fun.
First stop was a short boat ride to Philae Temple. In a 13 year UNESCO project it was cut into 40 000 pieces and moved to a new island, due to the Aswan High dam being built on the Nile. Though it doesn't fit perfectly on the island and the carvings have been altered over the years, it is still incredible. Luckily for us there were no other visitors, unfortunate for the vendors who are struggling to make sales despite their desperate attempts to sell us items.
Prayer time, even for the security staff.
An unusual sight on the main street of Aswan.
The Cataract hotel, where Agatha Christie stayed while she wrote Death on the Nile. One of the most expensive hotels in Egypt but didn't seem to have many lights on as we went past on our way back to our hotel.
We went for dinner in a Nubian village, on a nearby island. It is considered poor by local standards but not by my South Sudanese standards. They had electricity, street lights, a well staffed primary school and hospital, water to their brick houses and satellite tv. We got to eat dinner sitting on mats on the roof of the mayor's house, which was fun.
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