Our 6th Day of Holiday part 1
Tanjas Birthday, Abu Simbel, Kitchener´s Island und Nubian Night
Today is Tanjas birthday. Today is Abu Simbel. At 3 o'clock is waking. And after so little sleep. Thus showered, dressed and having breakfast. At four a.m. we arrive at the collecting station at the border of Aswan. Here already some busses wait and some more join later.
Shortly after half past four we start. In front a car from the "tourist policy" and the military, arms to the teeth. The usually young soldiers make a rather helpless impression. One sits with his Kalaschnikov also in our bus. In between the busses there are still some cars with armed policemen and naturally also at the end of the convoy, which consists of approximately 30 busses and minibuses. One is for sure, if we will be attacked, our guard will not recognise it, it sleeps already after 5 minutes peacefully.
The "convoy" is no more to be recognised as a convoy after 10 minutes. The bus in front of us is to be recognised only weakly and behind us there is no more bus to be seen.
We have to make 260 kilometres through the desert. Arabi promises us a marvellous sunrise "... if no Austrian clouds are in the sky ". What shall I am to say, for sure clouds on the horizon.
After scarcely 3 hours we reach Abu Simbel. I am glad. I could sleep not in the bus. My legs knock always against at the edges of the front seat and the backrest is too short, in order to lean the head against it.
In Abu Simbel the usual picture, police everywhere. One does not notice it already any longer. It is standard pic after a few days. After the course by the metal-detector (Beeeeeeep), scanning and look into the backpack we are finite on the area. Particularly inconspicuously again once the young men are in badly fitting suits, the submachine guns hiding under the jacket. Well, the usual picture.
Then finite we have a view on the temples of Abu Simbel. The pictures you can see down.
Honestly said, somehow I am disappointed by Abu Simbel. Probably it is in addition, because of it that one has no more view after one week "temple and grave route" for the beauty and the enormous technical achievement, although Abu Simbel became to expenditure-strike not, as all other temples built stone on stone, but completely from the solid rock. Itself the whole relief's and Gods are too similar. I will read myself completely about this at home.
The characteristic at Abu Simbel is that the two temples in a joint action of the UNESCO were protected from sinking into the Nassr lake, by dividing them into 1.036 enormous blocks sawed and in safe place as original-faithfully as possible again putted together. This action took 4 years and cost 42 millions USS.
Only a small mistake happened in the reconstruction. With the following pictures it is in the 4th row from down completely on the right to be seen.
All all this was lit up in each case on 20.2. and to 20.10 at present day and night-same by the jets of the coming up sun, which penetrate through the whole temple. Here the statues of Ramses II. , Harmakhis and Amon RA are lit up, the statue of Ptah, the God of the darkness, is never met during this 20 minutes show by the jets of the sun.
With the re-established temple this show was shifted by one day to the rear, does not occur thus no more to day and night-same, again a reference to the ingenious Egyptian architects of the past.
At 10 o'clock then the convoy goes back to Aswan, where we arrive so punctual that we have still a little bit of time up to the lunch. The driver must have taken an abbreviation, because is already considerable altogether 270 kilometres in 2 1/2 hours and a maximum speed for penalty of 80 km/h.
September 12, 2002 - Flying to Luxor, our Boat and und Trip by Curricle Through Luxor
September 13, 2002 - Stones, Sand and Grafitti
September 14, 2002 - Karnak und Luxor
September 15, 2002 - Edfu, Kom Ombo, Scenery at Nile and Galabeiaparty
September 16, 2002 - Our fifth day - Philae, Assuan, Obelisk, Souk and Nubian Village
September 18, 2002 - Our seventh day - Traveling back to Luxor
September 19, 2002 - From Luxor to El Gouna
September 20, 2002 - Relaxing in the Hotel
September 21, 2002 - Snorkeling in the Red Sea
September 22, 2002 - Deserttour
September 23, 2002 - The Yellow Submarine
September 24 and 25, 2002 - Our last two days in Egypt
September 26, 2002 - Return journey with obstacles
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