Rising at Dawn

We arrived at he town of Abu Simbel at about 9 pm and set out to walk the 4 minutes to the hotel, asking locals which direction to set off in. We ambled down the road eager to get settled for the night. The description of the hotel was a 5 room hotel constructed in the Nubian style. We passed one place that seemed to fit the description, but with no lights on we continued up the road. A few minutes later two gentlemen approached Greg and Connor asking if we were the Americans coming to stay at Eskaleh. If so, we just passed it. They escorted us to the hotel and we were greeted by the owner, Fikry. They were very hospitable. His cousin’s family was there too and they have a baby girl, just two weeks younger than Cici. The two babes looked doe-eyed at each other for a few minutes, but neither thought the other was too interesting.

We ordered some chicken for dinner and eventually asked to have it in our rooms, since it was getting late and we wanted to get the kiddos to bed – since the plan was to go see the temple at dawn. The chicken turned out the be the best meal we had in Egypt – we were hungry from just eating little sandwiches at the bus station (liver and pepper for Greg, cheese for me and Gavin, and just bread for Connor), but generally that opinion is not biased. We booked two double rooms, but it turned out each had 3 beds. They boys didn’t want to be split up, so we just cancelled one of the rooms and made due with the 3 beds.

Mosquito nets (or Mosquito Temples as the kids were calling them) were draped romantically above the beds. Greg asked about them, and they said “you won’t need them, it’s not really mosquito season.” We liked the feel of the hotel and started planning on staying 2 nights. I’d get up at dawn with Gavin on the first day to see the temple; we’d hang around the hotel and town; then take everyone to the sound and light show at the temple after dinner. The following day Greg would head to the temple at dawn and we could all depart on the 9:30 am bus.

However, 26 dead mosquitos later… (kill tallies: Greg 20; Maia 5: Gavin 1) we decided it wasn’t worth it to stay the second night for the sound and light show.

Gavin and I did rise at dawn and left Greg, Cici and Connor to slumber as we took a taxi to the temple at 5:45 am. The sun had risen by the time got to the temple, but the air was cool and the dawn’s light was pretty. There were a few other tourists, but basically we had the place to ourselves.

Ramses II really knew how to celebrate himself. The temples are carved from rock and are really impressive. These two temples also had to be moved when Lake Nasser was created by the Aswan High Dam. A team of archeologists and architects (and probably a slew of others) from 4 countries cut these two temples into 2000 pieces and relocated them above the Lake’s water line. The larger one has four Colossi of Ramses II adorning the front. Gavin and I are in the shot above for scale. These temples have less hieroglyphics carved into them, and are less ornate than most of the others we saw, but they are probably my favorites.

I like how in one room the wall carvings weren’t finished and the last bit in the corner is a mix of carving and then just black outline of what is to be chiseled out. The next two walls were bare – the only two bare walls we’d seen in any temples!