On to Philae!

 

Hello!

 

Up this morning to another beautiful (and ultimately HOT, I’m sure!) day!  Other than going to Abu Simbel (which we did on our previous visit, and decided not to repeat this time), the main thing to see in Aswan is the Island of Philae, to which one must take a boat.  We decided to do this this morning.  The island itself opens at 7 am, and we have read that if you get there “before the tour buses (i.e. 10 am)” you can have the place to yourself!  So, we did and we did!  It was a fabulous experience!  So … to start at the beginning.

 

Up about 6 am and out for breakfast about 6:45 am.  [Editor’s Note: (I know, PLEASE don’t start that again.  Sorry…)  The bathroom is laid out – toilet on the left, large sink area in the middle, and shower on the right.  It is further divided by two sheets of glass, one between the shower and the sink, and the other between the toilet and the sink.  Remember now, they’re clear glass … so when I got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, what do I do but somehow manage to go nose-first into the glass instead of around it … *&^^% OUCH!). Definitely an unwelcome wake-up call!.]  From what we could see in the lobby, it looked as if a very large tour group had just left the premises – and the breakfast room, even at that early hour, looked like a swarm of locusts had just gone through!  Yikes!  [And I know, because I watched at least part of the latest (and hopefully last…) Jurassic World movie on the airplane coming over!].   We were able to fortify ourselves sufficiently, though, and soon we were heading out the door (hat on my head!) to the hotel dock and boat to get over to Aswan.  Only took a few minutes, and even at that early hour – about 7:30 am – there were boats going back and forth regularly.  (Still don’t really know how that works.  The ferry service is free, and seems to just “be there” all of the time!). 

 

We had to climb up to the street level, but as soon as we surfaced, there was someone asking if we needed a taxi!  And this time, we really did!  Very decent price, and up the taxi comes – as R said, he’s not sure what if anything was still working on the vehicle, but the driver was pleasant and the price was right.  [Note from R: Was it wrong to be concerned that the driver was going at his worry beads as he was driving?]

 

(Let me right here say something about Egypt and Baksheesh.  One article I read in preparation for this trip talked about feeling like a “walking-wallet” – and that is not overstating the case.  We tend to be excellent tippers, as we feel that we are so fortunate to be able to travel, and literally, 100 Egyptian pounds is the equivalent of $3.35 US.  A definite difference maker to a family, and that we can afford to be generous.  So, we are.  Also, neither of us happens to be able to bargain worth a darn, although R definitely better at it than me.  But as a result, we have waiters wanting us to come back to their restaurants, and the cleaning attendants leave us bouquets of flowers – and when we came back from our outing this morning, you ought to see the bed!  They put cabin attendants on cruise ships to shame!  I will definitely include those photos!  They’re hilarious!). 

As I say, I was never one for hats.  I strongly resemble the gondolier from a bad movie!

 

So, back to our journey.  It took about 15 minutes to get us to the Philae Island Marina, which is a truly motley collection of boats of different sizes and shapes, ranging from 10’ metal rowboats to double-decker swanky boats!  Our driver, Zozo, loaded us aboard and we were off to Philae.

Black granite rocks all around

First view of the Temple of Isis

Kiosk of Trajan

Now, to write about Philae.  It’s not really Philae at all.  The “real” Philae is now submerged under the water from the Aswan Low and High Dams.  This was in the 1970’s.  Between 1972 and 1980, the massive Temple of Isis complex was disassembled stone by stone (just like Abu Simbel, which moved up a hill!).  It was then reconstructed 20m higher on nearby Agilika Island, which was then landscaped to resemble the original sacred Isle of Isis.

First temple on the island, to Nectanebo

Nectanebo detail

Forecourt of Isis temple

First Pylon (entryway)

First Pylon detail; loved the wings over the door

 

Philae has long been a site of pilgrimage.  Since the Ptolemaic period (the last rulers of the Kingdom of Egypt; Cleopatra VII being the last Queen), Philae was considered one of Osiris’ burial places.  The island of Philae became the holiest site for the worship of Isis, Osiris’ wife,  in the entire country.  The current temple complex was begun by Netanebo I, who ruled from 380 to 343 BC.  He was the founder of the last native dynasty of Egyptian pharaohs. 

First Pylon

Obviously, cats must stick together!

  

Details of Birthing House

Second Pylon

Loved the vultures on the ceiling!

From there, you enter into a huge outer temple courtyard, with beautiful columns lining the walkway.  The central court of the Temple of Isis, the mammisi (birth house) is dedicated to Horus (the falcon), son of Isis andOsiris.  The first and second pylons (entryways) are really stunning to see.  What I find interesting, though, is that the figures on the left-hand side of the pylons are disfigured, and those on the right-hand side are left alone.  Thought that was strange.  Also, occasionally you’ll come across a Maltese cross or so, from when the Romans outlawed any religion other than Christianity (strange … weren’t these the same folks who brought the gladiators and slaughtering of the Christians earlier??). Oh well!  I’m sure people can change!  

 

Detail in the Sanctuary of Isis

Back of the Temple of Isis

Side of the Temple of Isis

The inner sanctuary of Isis was superbly carved, although I don’t recall seeing even the slightest remnants of color on any of the buildings. What was wonderful, though, was that while there were a couple of small groups ahead of us, we basically could wait just a minute or two, and we’d have a temple, or sanctuary or kiosk to ourselves.  YEAH!  

 

Interior of Kiosk of Trajan

R loved the old graffiti!

Beautiful grey heron spotted on our way back

Wild and crazy marina of Philae!  See all the background boats!

Deer here at hotel, not seen through fencing!

We took our time and very much enjoyed the Island, but eventually back to the boat – which I couldn’t remember, but fortunately, the driver remembered us – and back to the mainland.  Then – I made a telephone call in Egypt!  Our taxi driver had inscribed his name on our Egypt guidebook, along with his telephone number, and told me to call him when we were through.  So … I think I mentioned that learning Arabic numbers was a really good idea* – at least 0-9.  So, I handed my phone to R, and then read him out the 11 digit number he had written down.  (He also wrote down his name, but as the writing is from left to right, and I know NO Arabic alphabetic characters whatsoever, it is even worse than Greek to me – at least I do know some of the Greek alphabet, having been taught it on trips to Greece with Robert!).  Well, what do you know?!  The phone started ringing – and our driver picked it up!  Incredible!!  The wonders of cell phones!  So, by the time we were almost being sucked into a shop by a very persistent shop keeper, here was our driver to save the day!  Yeah!  Back into town!  He dropped us off at the hotel’s boat dock, and soon we were back “home!”  Truly, a very, very memorable start of the day!

 

Not too hysterical!!

Now, blogging away, and then we’re going to again cross the river (and NOT through the woods, as there aren’t any…) and this time go to the Old Cataract Hotel (Agatha Christie’s hotel from Death on the Nile) and the Ferial Gardens next door to have a nice lunch!!  

 

More later!

m

xxx

 

*Somewhere in a guide book, it is suggested that one should learn the Arabic numerals.  Actually, it is almost essential.  For example, one identifies Uber rides by the license plate numbers.  Fortunately, Margaret is a whiz at this.  I am trying to persuade her to start on the alphabet.  – R

 

Later this afternoon, we decided to head to the Old Cataract Hotel to see about getting a late lunch.  We had stayed here 23 years ago (first visit; yes, it really was that long ago!) and while most of our memories are more than partly hazy, we thought we would refresh them and see it again.  Well … it certainly did not go as planned, that’s for sure.  

 

We took the hotel boat across the river to town, then walked up to the street, and got a cab which took us right there.  However, we are NOT currently guests, and we were NOT checking in!  I wasn’t sure at first if they were going to let us in at all!  Incredible!  Why I didn’t trust my first instincts I don’t know.  But we persisted … gave them back a bit of the attitude we’d received, and suddenly we were in.  We were actually given the choice of eating on the patio (which was pretty warm) or inside, which was nice and cool.  I chose inside.  We were seated and finally actually given menus.  We decided to start with an antipasto plate for Robert, and the Egyptian mezzes with grilled veggies for me.  To follow, we both ordered pasta – red sauce for R, and pesto for me.  Also, big bottle of sparkling water and two glasses of Egyptian white wine.  Started with breads on the table with small containers of hummus; good.  Wine came; water came.  Then my Egyptian appetizer came, which, fortunately, was large enough to split – because R’s antipasto never did show up.  Pasta was cooked appropriately, but if there was any garlic in the pesto, I’d be very, very surprised; rather tasteless.  R said his red sauce was fine.  When we were finished, we waited … and waited … and waited, until we were finally able to signal to someone that we wanted the check.  I had planned on having dessert, but decided at that point that I’d be better off without.  

 

I do love those deer...

Front of the Old Cataract Hotel

Plate of grilled veggies

R's penne

Check came … and so did the bill for the antipasto.  So … correct the check.  Finally, the snotty maître d’arrived with it, and when I nicely thanked him – in Arabic – he basically blew me off!  So!  Out we went, and I am well and truly sorry we ever dared to darken the doorways of this way-over-rated hotel.  We had originally booked in there, and then I guess I came to my senses, and realized that the truly exorbitant prices they wanted to charge were ridiculous.  SOOOOO much better off at the Movenpick – where the people are lovely!

 

m