2005 - Egypt

Our cabin was on the lower deck, just above the water line - I found this a more interesting view than the more expensive cabins higher up. I mean, if you wanted a fab view you just climbed onto the sundeck, flopped down on a lounger with an ice cold bottle of water and watched Egypt drift by.

2005 - Edfu Temple

An image of falcon headed Horus giving the Pharoah the key of life (ankh).

2005 - Edfu Temple - shrine of Horus

This shrine, or naos, dates from a much earlier temple. It would have housed a statue of Horus. Looking back from the shine is a view through several doorways leading right through the heart of the temple and out into a courtyard of columns. From the outside traveling inwards each doorway got progressively smaller (from the height of two houses down to just above the height of a man) giving the impression that a person approaching was given larger stature the closer they were allowed to approach Horus.

2005 - Edfu Temple

Edfu is spectacular because so much of it is intact - you can really get a sense of adventure by wandering into the inner aspects of it.

2005 - Egypt

The heat in Egypt was incredible. Sometimes it could literally overwhelm your senses... so it was nice to find somewhere dark and cool to chill out.

2005 - Temple at Kom Ombo (Sobek)

Kom Ombo is home to an unusual double temple built during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods. The temple is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris (Horus the Elder). Despite being badly damaged, the temple is a beautiful sight as one approaches from either direction on the river, particularly as sunset nears and the colours change

This was my favourite temple. The way it perched on small rise above the Nile, in a place where the Nile curved round, giving it a majestic aura as you approached from the river. The sunlight was magical here. A place of human sacrifice, the atmosphere was tangible. You could see the low wide alter stone in the forecourt where they would have butchered thier screaming enemies; you could see the holes were thier blood would have drained. You could picture them carrying the body parts, freshly severed, pink internal flesh and gleaming white shattered bone, being carried over to the large shaft where crocodiles splashed around in filfthy water.

2005 - Temple at Kom Ombo (Sobek)

Sobek, the crocodile headed god.

In Egyptian mythology, Sobek was the crocodile-god who symbolized the fertility of the Nile River and the authority of the pharaohs. He was a son of Neith. Revered for ferocity and speed of movement, his cult originally flourished around El Faiyûm, where some temples still remain; the area was so associated with Sobek that one town, Arsinoe, was known to the Greeks as "Crocodilopolis". Sobek-worship flourished in and after the Twelfth Dynasty, with major centres in Kom Ombo and Thebes. In later times, he was regarded as a manifestation of the universal god Amun.

In art, he was depicted as a man with the head of a crocodile, a mummified crocodile, or an ordinary-looking crocodile. He was sometimes shown wearing a pair of plumes on his head, and sometimes a combination of a cobra and the sun disk.

The Book of the Dead relates that Sobek assisted in the birth of Horus, was responsible for fetching the sisters Isis and Nephthys to protect the deceased, and had a role in the destruction of Set. Other mythological sources credit Sobek with catching Horus's four sons in a net as they emerged from the waters of the Nile in a lotus blossom.

2005 - Egypt

Galabaya night

2005 - Egypt - Oj

2005 - Aswan

We moored in Aswan for a couple of days: across from us were the tombs of important nobles, lit up with amber lights. One of the best parts of the trip started here. We were woken by ships crew at 3am, then by 3.30am we were out of the ship clambering into vehicles with armed guards to join a convoy. Maybe 60 vehicles, blasting 250 km into the Sahara. The sky was sackcloth scattered with precious gems - glittering with colour, no city lights to spoil the view....

2005 - into the Sahara

...then the sky began to lighten, the stars faded and the sun came up....

2005 - Abu Simbel

...then we reached our destination.

The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II and a statue of him is seated with three other gods within the innermost part of the rock-cut temple (the sanctuary). The temple's facade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of the Pharaoh (each over 20 metres or 67 feet high), although one has been damaged since ancient times.

2005 - Abu Simbel - Djr

2005 - Egypt

Coming back through Sahara. Some people were not looking forward to a 3 hour return coach ride through the desert. I didn't mind. Years of travelling up to Newcastle on National Express, typically 9 hours each way.

This was part of a security check point. A guard tower in the middle of the desert with some poor soldier melting inside.

2005 - Egypt

Banks of the Nile north of Aswan. I've got fab memories of lying on a lounger next to the edge of the ship, tunes in my ears, with this scenery drifting past. Lush plant life, the most fertile green you can imagine, and then without any fading zone, desert, endless, harsh, stretching beyond. I remember seeing young children splashing around in the water laughing and enjoying themselves, several older boys standing waist deep, washing a donkey, vieled women washing clothes by the edge of the bank. My favourite memory is seeing a farmer lying down in the shade. I raised one arm and extended my fingers to wave. He pushed himsefl up eagerly and waved back. Wonderful connection between two human beings of different worlds.

2005 - on the river Nile

Oj

2005 - Egypt

Pirates on the river Nile.

Lady! Lady! You English? As soon as we were through Essna lock the boat came to a halt. Suddenly there was lots of shouting and commotion, and everybody ran to the edges to peer down 3 floors. The boat was being assailed on all sides by these commercial pirates flogging stuff.