Greetings from Aswan –

 

Today was the day we moved from Alexandrea to Aswan.  And what a day!

 

Up this morning around 6 am and down for breakfast about 8 am.  The restaurant is really crowded this morning – hoping that’s all good for business, as the day before seemed a bit lonely.  Of course, I think we went down a bit later too, which might have something to do with it!  Even though I hadn’t unpacked, I repacked everything with the thought that we didn’t know the size of the airplane, so weren’t sure if they would let us take our carry-ons on.  Figured that if we had to check a suitcase, make sure there wasn’t anything we’d regret losing in it!  So, with that in mind, we headed downstairs to check out about 11 am.

 

Recall that we were unable to arrange for an Uber driver to get us from Alexandrea to Cairo Airport but, fortunately, the Hilton Hotel came through for us.  We were picked up at 11:15 and arrived at the airport at about 2:30, an uneventful trip not withstanding Cairo traffic.  Note:  Our driver this time was excellent; not too speedy, but fairly thoughtful, and at least he knew his way across Cairo to the airport!  Our departure wasn’t until 6:45 pm, quite a long wait but less nerve wracking than cutting it close.  The downside, though, of being so early was that we had to stay on the “public” side of the airport until two hours before the flight was scheduled … made ourselves at home at the new Burger King on the upper level … which also wasn’t open until about 3:30 pm itself!  Their French fries aren’t a patch on McDonald’s, let me say…

 

Security seems to be a priority here; we passed through two check points – metal detectors, pat-down frisk and luggage x-ray at each.  At the first check point, on the way to check-in, there were two lines: one for men and one for women, a fact that wasn’t made plain until the two long lines of men and women had formed.  Result: A scramble to sort things out, with R going through first, and me having to go to the end of the “ladies” line.  Really??  Oh well!

 

Found that one of the carry-ons was fine, but that the second was too heavy.  (And, fortunately, the one that was fine was actually the one we wanted to carry on!  Yeah!). Checked the other case so we had our one rollaboard along with two backpacks, as carry on.  Off to gate G27 – at the end of the concourse, naturally – only to find it locked.  After about an hour, they opened the waiting area and, ten minutes later announced the flight.  So, now we’re heading back downstairs and we both thought that meant we were destined for a bus to the plane, but fortunately, this was just another check station (this time shoes off but water can stay…) and it looked like we were getting close!  We all filed down to the opposite end of the gateway, where there was a door but there was also a planter with plants in front of it.  What to do?!  No one at all to ask!  Talk about “auto-boarding!”  R patiently waited at the planted door, and sure enough, a few minutes later, they moved the planter and opened the door – and we were the first two folks on the airplane!  Amazing!  Plenty of room for carry-ons and we were seated in the exit row.  (No idea how that happened, actually…) Flight was about an hour and 20 minutes, and before we knew it, we were landing in Aswan!  (Note:  R was asleep before we ever took off, so his words to me on deplaning were:  Was it a good flight?!)

 

Off the plane and on to a bus to the terminal, hopefully to recover the checked bag.  The luggage was painfully slow to appear on the carousel but eventually ours appeared.  Off to find a taxi (Uber doesn’t work here).  Got put into a taxi that had curtains on the back door windows and reeked of gasoline.  It’s a fair piece from the airport to the center of Aswan and an “exciting” ride.  It seems that drivers in Aswan drive at night either with only their parking lights on or no lights at all, switching them on when they felt so inclined.  Also, with this particular driver (a very young man!) he had a tendency to want to browse his phone … which I politely but firmly asked him NOT to do while driving, and he stopped.  

 

Our hotel, Mövenpick, is a very large resort on Elephantine Island, which means transferring from the taxi to a boat to cross the Nile to the island.  That accomplished, we checked in and moved into our two-level suite.  By now it was going on toward 11 pm and we were both hungry and tired.  Never a good combination to arrive anywhere.

Downstairs entry and living room; half bath

Upstairs bedroom with full bath

 

Unpacked, then went to find a restaurant, only to learn all the restaurants at the resort were closed.  There was, however, room service, so we ordered from there: Penna Arrabiata for R, Spaghetti Bolognaise for M.  Food was delivered quickly and in quantity, and was very good.  We did note that the prices for wine imported (from anywhere) were astronomical, so this may be a dry couple of days.  [Bottle of Prosecco = EGP 6892 = $230!!!!  Are they serious?]

 

Dinner; enough pasta in my bowl to feed a family!

Then, getting ready for bed (it is now 11:30 p.m.), Margaret discovered a water leak in the upstairs bathroom.  Called for help and a maintenance man came but couldn’t fix it tonight.

 

Good morning –

 

A bright morning, with hopes for a better day.

 

View from our patio

R's breakfast

Breakfast room

My breakfast

Barring the water leak, the room is OK – lighting a bit on the dim side but adequate, good heating and AC, internet a bit slow but, again, OK.  Either the bed was great or we were so exhausted, we could have slept well on a bed of nails. (M here – exhaustion it was, definitely!)

 

Now off to find breakfast.  Egyptian style buffet breakfast in a lovely setting; at the base of the “tower” which “towers” over Aswan’s Elephantine Island.

Other side of the island; Aga Khan Mausoleum

Black rocks in river make up the cataracts on the Nile

Small island opposite our hotel

 

"Tower" portion of the Movenpick

My goal for today is hopefully get to the other end of Elephantine Island, where there are ruins from the original fortification built by an early Pharaoh and a few other things we’d like to see.  Turns out that of course, we can’t get there from here … so while we’re on the Island, we still have to leave “our” section, get across the river, walk to the other end and take another boat … or just hire a boat at the Movenpick dock; think that’s the way to go!  More later!

 

m

xxx

PS – Sink link fixed (fingers crossed!); progress!