Christmas Sights and Sites: Aswan to Abu Simbel and back

After our cruise, we spent one night in Aswan before heading down to Abu Simbel.

David Roberts litho reproduction (from: All About Ancient Egypt)

The plans had been quite convoluted, and “arrangements” changed many times. The extra day in Aswan, although not a real “tourist-let’s-go” day, was nice for rest and recuperation.

In trips past, Jack and I have relied heavily and quite successfully on the Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to help us find accommodations and restaurants. For the most part, they have been spot on for our taste, until Aswan! Both guides gave decent to excellent reviews of the Marhaba Palace Hotel (“…a fabulous rooftop. Their buffet breakfast is a treat.” Rough Guide p433, Aug2007; “…the Marhaba overshadows the competition. …has two restaurants, friendly staff and a roof terrace with excellent Nile views. Recommended.” Lonely Planet p313, May2006).

I will concede that our room was large and comfortable, although our shower had no curtain (and this was NOT designed to be a “wet bathroom”). The “fabulous rooftop” was more-or-less abandoned, and had not been cleaned or maintained in a VERY LONG time. The “two restaurants” were closed, and the “treat” of a breakfast buffet was a paltry selection of stale pastries, watery foul, stale cheese and bad coffee. Either rough times have come swiftly and crushingly to the hotel, or someone was wearing rose-colored (or baksheesh tinted) glasses! We were quite disappointed, and eager to leave.

The only touristy things we managed in Aswan were a brief foray to Elephantine Island and a walk through the souk. We were all exhausted. I was recovering and Mom and Jack were coming down with light colds/coughs.

We were excited and tense as we checked out to go to Abu Simbel. Excited for obvious reasons. Tense because the “best layed plans” had not been going so well. We had been unable to reconfirm our convoy transportation and were only guardedly optimistic that the car would show up. After much fretting, the car arrived and we headed to the convoy meeting point.

As we were waiting to leave, I casually asked Jack, “You have the passports, right?” Chaos ensued.

None of us had remembered to get our passports from the hotel desk! Passports are required for checking into any hotel – we’d given ours to the Marhaba, and would need them to check in at our hotel in Abu Simbel. CRAP. Many phone calls and panic followed. If we went back for the passports, we would miss the convoy. This was the second and last convoy of the day. Without them, we can’t check in to our hotel. Prior planning saved us all – we all had copies of our passports in our luggage!

We left with the convoy.

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I think convoy, I think long lines of trucks or buses, nose-to-tail, lumbering toward some destination. (And, of course, the 1975 song, Convoy) THIS convoy begins as a group, but once past the checkpoint it is a Cannonball Run type free for all! We got to Abu Simbel and our hotel about an hour faster than we’d expected! 🙂

Let me just dispel any romantic ideas about the town of Abu Simbel – there is NOTHING there except the monument. Our hotel, and the one other that we saw, are completely self-contained, resort-style. The ONLY reason for the hotels is so that overnighters can catch either the Sound and Light show or sunrise at the temple (or both – as we did).

This hotel, the Seti Abu Simbel, was a luxurious, with each room being a Nubian-style domed room with private bath and balcony. Our rooms faced east and overlooked a small inlet (the entrance to a wadi, prior to the dam being built). It was about a 15 or 20 minute walk to the temple once we had checked in to our rooms.

Ramses and Nefertari were in shadow in the afternoon. We made plans then to return in the morning (Christmas morning!) to see them in their full glory. In all, we made 3 trips to the temple – Christmas eve afternoon, Christmas morning and Christmas night (for the sound and light show). It is a incredible human feat, on the shores of Lake Nassar, having been raised from its original Nile-side location.

One observation that we all had was that this is the first/only monument or temple or other tourist destination that we have been to in Egypt that was spotlessly clean! No trash blowing around. None of the guards or galabiyya-men trying to “show you something special” for baksheesh. Abu Simbel was a truly relaxed experience that was all about the temples!

For all its glory, it is difficult to take a lot of pictures at Abu Simbel – it is too large and overwhelming. Here are the few that I took (and liked!). **The Christmas pic of Jack and I was taken by him, with the remote for his camera**

The enforced relaxation on Christmas day was welcome. I managed to avoid getting out of my galabiyya until we were leaving for the Sound and Light show! The following morning, the convoy back was fast and uneventful – il hamdileleh!

We passed the day in Aswan lunching at the Old Cataract Hotel, watching the feluccas sailing around Elephantine Island, and wandering around the quarry where the Unfinished Obelisk lies, as it has since it was begun for Queen Hatshepsut.

Wearily we taxied to the airport (one last altercation with the driver) to fly back to Cairo and REST.