Thursday was our last full day on Lake Nasser, and the morning got underway with a cruise past Qasr Ibrim, which is closed to the public.
Following that we had a tour of the boat's bridge, galley and engine room while we resumed our cruise south towards what must be the most famous temple site in Upper Egypt, Abu Simbel.
Everyone gathered on the sun deck as the giant statues of Ramesses II loomed larger and larger in front of us.
After lunch it was time to walk ashore and get "up close and personal" with the two temples. One of my most enduring memories of the whole trip will be standing in front of the larger temple looking up at the colossal 65-foot seated figures which dominate the temple façade.
In the evening we went back to Abu Simbel for the Sound and Light show, which I felt was a big disappointment. Other than one neat effect with white light shining very strongly from the entrance to the main temple, it was nothing more than the use of the two temples as big cinema screens. All the people who didn't know how to turn off their completely ineffective but very annoying camera flashes didn't help either.
[ Previous | Index | Next ] Copyright © 2005 David P Gymer