ABU SIMBAL
Getting There
One of the highlights of our trip was a long day trip to Abu Simbal.
My husband discovered that he could arranged the trip with the hotel clerks. Okay, we were ignorant. It would have never occurred to me, at least that the clerks would do such a service. We were never real world travelers like many other VTers and in a way I still am not but, intend to say differently about that in the future. Anyway, it was a plus to travel with one who could speak the language fluently and engage in friendly conversation and discover many things.
We got up at 4:00AM to be ready for a van that had extra seats built in to accommodate for the extra passengers. (Illegal in the states.) It was not the most comfortable sitting arrangement but, it could have been much worse. The van stopped at many little hotels and picked up more passengers for this trip until it was filled to capacity. There was one Australian couple we grew to like during the long ride in both directions.
The road along Lake Nassar was nice and smooth. In the beginning I was enjoying the view of the intense stars and unknown constellations in the sky. For some of you readers that is no big deal. However, coming from a big city like New York those stars are not only hidden from pollution, they are also camouflaged from all the streetlights as well.
As the sun was rising I was able to study the land formations in the Sahara. I regret that I did not take pictures while in the van, since it was too dark to accommodate the speed it was moving at, anyway. The Sahara that I saw looked like a moonscape. There was the pale sand, then there were these black rocks shaped hats belonging to witches, piercing upwards. Some looked like they were taller than a building with three floors.
Finally, we arrived. We first saw these ruins from the back, since they faced the water. You could see the numerous cut-marks on the backsides that were made when these ruins were disassembled from the shores of the Niles and reassembled to where they are now, on the shores of Lake Nassar Once we got around this huge mound, the scene changed dramatically.
While the van ride was not that great going to there, I will give credit to the fact that we were so early that we did not see the crowds of tourist for at least two hours after we got there. It was really nice to feel like we practically had the place to ourselves.
Soldiers of Asia
Soldiers of Africa
The paintings inside were wonderful. Since I had no tripod and flash is not permitted, (and rightfully so.) I cannot show you the wonderful colors and figures we saw inside the rooms in both ruins.
As more and more people arrived the voices seemed to get louder and louder. (duh!)
A large group of college age students from Japan were among the growing number of visitors. They were having a grand old time getting their pictures taken next with the statues. The keeper started to scream at them in broken English mixed with Arabic. Mostafa, my husband, asked him what the problem was. The keeper was very upset about those kids climbing on the statues. He turned to me and explained what was said in Arabic. We offered, to see, if we could talk some sense into them so the keeper could relax.
I walked up to the group and asked if any of them spoke English. One volunteered and both my husband and I were able to calmly explain that the statues were more than 10,000 years old and are made of sandstone which makes them easier to damage.
The young man turned around to his friends and explained to them, in Japanese, what we said to him. I knew they were good people, but they were still kids without their parents. All it took was a little more communication. Neither the keeper nor most of those kids had any real opportunity to practice a common language with each other. We were glad that we could help at the moment and I was glad that it wasn't Americans who misbehaved that day.
When it was time to leave the place was getting more crowded. The ride home seemed much longer going back to Aswan.
A Little Warning
A little advanced note to anybody who uses the services of these vans....
When we were close to Aswan, the driver offered to take us to the High Dam. We had already been there the day before and had no need but, we were out-voted. At the time the employees there collected 3 pounds per person to see what was essentially a map, unless you were an Egyptian citizen, they pay half. Well this day they insisted that Mostafa pay the full tourist price. My husband started to make a scene in front of everybody. We were told to remove ourselves from the bus and wait for this side tour to return. The day, before when we were willing to pay, the dam workers gave us receipts. That day no receipts were given to anybody who payed. (Catching my drift?)
The driver was furious with Mostafa because he would not be suckered like an unsuspecting tourist. He knew better and said so loudly. Unfortunately the other passengers paid. When the van came back, The Australian couple in front of us turned to us and said "You made a very wise decision refusing to go along......" They knew they were ripped off, for only 3 pounds (60� to an American) but being suckered is never a pleasant experience for anybody, at any price.
I guess my advice is to demand a reciept if they require a fee. If they don't give you one, don't pay and feel free to argue with them if they insist that you pay anyway. These guys did give in to my husband's refusal and we both believe that you can stand your ground with them.
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