Temples, Temples, and more Temples

This morning we woke up at 6am and left at 7:30 to visit the temple of Edfu in Esna. This is a greek designed temple that unlike many of the other ones in many ways, but also had some similarities like the pillars and obviously the hieroglyphics. It is interesting to hear all the stories from history that the walls tell, evidently my translation about the air conditioning was incorrect . We were in Ensa for only about an hour and a half before boarding and setting sail again towards Kom Obo. Brad and I got a case of Pharos’s Revenge this morning, but got some magic pills from one of the tour directors and it seems to have done the trick. The temple was PACKED this morning, which is apparently what happens when you do not arrive before 7:15am. By the time we left the temple was so packed that you literally had to push you way through the crowd. When in a very hot temple was not fun.

When we got back on the river to set sail, Brad and I decided to sit outside on the top of the boat in the shade and view life on the nile. It was interesting to see how people live, grass or mud huts, maybe a few goats or cows and that is it. Nothing to shield them from the sun, or bugs, or anything else. They do not even have clean drinking water- you can see pumps on the edge of the nile pumping water up to the little shacks. The nile water is visibly not horrible looking, but there are so many bug and parasites in it that is it undrinkable. Out travel nurse told us to not even touch or swim in the nile water- and you see hundreds of kids playing in the water along with the water buffalo and cows. So strange…

We were probably out there for 30 -45 mns before it was too hot for us in the shade. We went downstairs took a quick cat nap and went down for lunch. After lunch, well actually during lunch, it was so hard for me to stay awake. I think that it all started to catch up with me, the heat, the random/sporadic sleep, the boat, mummy tummy- we went upstairs and I crashed. This afternoon’s tour of Kom Obo is a walking tour that lasts for about an hour- I didn’t think that I wanted to overdo it so I stayed behind (reluctantly) and Brad went ahead with some of our new Australian friends. There were several people that stayed behind this morning and even more people that stayed behind this afternoon. Tomorrow is going to be a big, hot, busy day. We start out visiting the botanical gardens in Aswan, the high dam, and the Philae Temple. We get back to the ship for lunch and then in the afternoon we take a felucca ride. We opted into an optional tour to a Nubian villiage that included an additional felucca ride. So with tomorrow being a big day, I decided to rehydrate and rest a bit. Aswan is the further south that we are sailing- the following day we are taking an optional tour to Abu Simbal which is going to be the furthest south we are going, it is actually relatively close to Sudan.

Tonight is our big party night. It is the Egyptian themed dinner night and then afterwards the party. We are dressing up in out traditional wear that we bought at the gift shop. I think that most people will be dressing up, it should be fun.
Quick update on the party tonight- just got back from the Egyptian dinner and party- it was a good time. Almost everybody in the group dressed up, which made it fun. The Egyptian food was so-so. I like it more than I thought I would and Brad said it wasn’t bad. One of my favorite parts to the evening was when this gut from our tour dressed up like a belly dancer for the party. He claimed since he had a large belly we might as well show it off and that he did. He even did a dance for us at the party. One of the tour directors even got Brad to dance for a few songs although I think he did not enjoy it very much  He felt strange enough wearing a “dress” as he called it. Will try to post a picture…

Time to head off to bed- wake up call is very early and we have a big day ahead of us