Day 13

6/24/10

Today is the day we wake up extremely early to drive three hours through the desert to Abu Simbel temple. We are actually very lucky because everyone else who wishes to go must leave at four instead of five like we are. An armed caravan must drive with the buses. Grand Circle arranged their own. Still we had to wake up at three thirty in the morning to leave. I fell asleep on the bus after looking at the desert in the middle of the night... not much to see. But, sleeping on the bus was not the easiest thing, I ended up screwing my jaw shut for the rest of the day. I could talk but barely open my mouth to eat.

Abu Simbel was worth the discomfort. After we got off the bus and walked around the man-made mountain to the walkway. First we see the other end of blue blue Lake Nasser. It is beautiful as it is. But walk around the corner and BAM!!!!!

All I could say was "WOW!" Sam agreed with me and says it still hits her after all of these visits.

This is one of the few times I could say I was truely wowed. It is amazing. Guides are not allowed inside so Sam had explained everything earlier in the bus.

I walked around a lot on my own and the inside is as amazing as the outside.

Historical fact- there is a chamber straight back that is the sancuary of the temple. Twice a year the sun goes through the entire temple to this chamber and lights up three of the four statues resting there. The god of darkness is kept in shadow. Even after being moved, this feat occurs twice a year on different days. No pictures are allowed inside the two temples built here, they can only be used on the facades.

Its funny without Sam several of the people from my bus came up and asked me questions and I knew probably nine out of ten of the answers. A security guarde actually came up to me and asked if I was a tour guide. I said no and all was fine. I thought it very funny though. Iwas the last person from our group to leave the temple. I could have stayed even longer.

After the great temple built with the four likenesses of Ramsses I walked over to the smaller temple dedicated to hathor for Nefertari Ramesses chief wife. This temple is smaller but very well preserved and lovely.

Today is one of the hottest days here in Egypt. It is up to 125 degrees and we are in the middle of the desert. Grandma and Dorothy are having trouble getting back up the hill. Frankly most people were having a hard time. Strangely though I was hot but I was fine. Its strange, but I have created quite a heat tolerance.

We walked back to the entrance and a small market where we received our pictures of the inside that we ordered earlier with Sam. We sat and had a drink and Karin tried curry chips. Orange Fanta is nearly as refreshing as water in this heat and much better tasting.

We have another three hour ride back to Aswan, but it is still early in the day and we actually have a day left.

When I get back, you guessed it, into the pool I went. It is my new favorite place in the entire world. Before dinner went to the farewell cocktail, but we left early to buy more gifts. I picked up the ship DVD we had ordered earlier and Karin and Mark shopped some more. After dinner we had a trip to the spice market planned. Mom had asked for some cinnamon when she had looked at the itinerary before we left. After Bassim explained how it is selled here we were let loose. Grandma bought some saffron, vanilla bean and wanted some of my cinnamon. I bought cinnamon and vanilla for mom. We got a lot and it was only seventy-five Egyptian pounds. Ten ounces of saffron was that inexpensive.

When we returned, we needed to pack our suitcases to be picked up tomorrow morning to be set on the bus on our way to the airport to fly back to Cairo. Luckily we were packed by the time the lights went out, in fact we were in bed. They came back on eventually.

Sometime during the night someone or something called me. I do not having calling with my global plan I have texting. Even the call that woke me up and I hung up on will cost an astronomical amount of money! I don't even know who it was!!

I can't believe my trip is ending. Tomorrow is our last day in Egypt! NOOOOOOOOOOOO