More classic hotels

The view from our hotel balcony at the Winter Palace in Luxor!

North again!

Heading north again through the Nile valley, to Luxor.

Details

It is breath-taking...









Unfortunately, I took much fewer closeups of the smaller temple...

Saving a world cultural heritage

The original site of these temples was due to be flooded with the building of the High Dam in the 60's. The temples would have been deep under the waters of Lake Nasser, had not saviours of world heritage taken up their cause. A Swedish engineering firm (oh yes!) devised a way of carving them out block by block and reassembling them, now on a site overlooking Lake Nasser.




And let there be no doubt - they are HUGE! It was also the only site on our whole trip that was actually in the tropics, on the ride south from Aswan, we passed the Tropic of Cancer (not that we noticed it much, but still!).

Unfinished

You can actually see quite clearly in this abandoned granite quarry, how the ancient megastatues were carved out, all in one single piece!

A felucca-ride in the dusk

This is one of the most romantic ways to spend time in Egypt, I believe!

Lake Nasser

Views of the High Dam...

Isis

The temple is supposed to have been in active use still during Roman rule in Egypt, i e well into the Common Era.

Philae

This is an ancient temple to Isis, located on an island in the Nile. Approaching it by boat is part of the charm.

Old Cataract

We lived in the new wing next door, but with full use of the facilities of the classic hotel. The people you see popping up here and there are my family.







And yes, since I haven't taken any new travel pictures for several weeks, I'm taking the opportunity to online-relive our wedding trip. Chronologically. We are about halfway now.

Aswan

42 degrees celsius in early October, but views like a paradise on earth... Aswan was a treat!

The Nile Valley 2

Some more images from the same occasion.

The Nile Valley

I can never stop thinking, when looking at the delta or the valley, how this area has been cultured for thousands of years. The thought is soothing and elevating at the same time. Peasant life probably hasn't changed that much over time either...






The pictures are taken from the night-train from Cairo to Aswan, early early in the morning, soon after sunrise. Probably it is somewhere between Edfu and Aswan.

Nilometer

A boat moored opposite the site of the Nilometer. And a view of where the actual device is found (we didn't get any closer unfortunately). Before the Nile was dammed up, when annual floods fed the banks and the delta with silt this measuring site was crucial for rulers and people alike. I'm not sure which was worse, the years when the Nile rose too high and flooded all within reach or the years when the water didn't come and refertilize the fields for that year's harvest.





We'll see some views of the Nile valley soon also.

Coptic church

The Coptic church is in the very oldest part of the city which can still be found (the pyramids don't really count in this - their part of Cairo was not part of the city proper until quite recently and they are far older than Cairo as "Cairo"). These are the oldest medieval quarters, from the origins pf the city as it is presently known.





But we weren't allowed to take pictures of the nearby, heavily guarded synagogue. It's there and open, though - you'll have to take my word for it. It's the one with the famous Geniza, where the cache of documents was found, remember?

Old buildings

Quite like Istanbul, Cairo is shock full of the most amazing old buildings! Not least since the city stretches out almost for ever.

Nilecity

Those of you who watch Swedish television (or who used to at least) may understand why my sister insisted on this picture. For the rest, I'm afraid I'll be hard pressed to explain it...

Cairo street views

Election?

Unfortunately I missed taking photos of the election billboarding. But this one is nice too... ;-)