Around 5pm, we shifted from Delta hotel in Giza to a city centre one, as our flight was early morning.
Mr Mohammad of Delta Travels had arranged a perfect plan to suit our needs for an Abu Simbel plus Nile Cruise.
The driver who was with us for the last three days dropped us to the hotel.
Tired, struck by migraine from excessive sun exposure, felt nausea, and struggled to sleep. Nothing helped, aspirin, antacid, homeopathic globules or rubbing balm. A light dinner, my partner hit the bed snoring. I could eat nothing, gulped bottles of water.
Suddenly I was sick, very sick, tossing turning slipped into a state of semi consciousness. Was I dying? Would I manage to wake up early for the flight? Sudden apparition of the Saqqara mummy hovered, and the notion, which forbid visitors to take anything from that place to avoid misfortune.
Except for a fistful of Saqqara, sand had brought nothing as such from the place. How come I reeled under hopeless health hazard within couple of hours? Waking in fright, crept out of bed, half asleep fished for the sand pouch emptied the same in the toilet sweating profusely though the A/C was on high. What a nightmare.
Head throbbing deathly, my action was unbelievable succumb to a very unusual situation. Drank more water applied some more pain balm, and strange enough fell asleep. An hour of sound rest could get ready for the airport. Saved from ache, wondered what exactly had happened to me.
We reached the Cairo airport before sunrise. Breakfast packed for us by the hotel, was mistakenly left behind in the taxi. That I had no dinner felt a little hungry treated us to hot cups of tea, felt better. Waiting for the flight after check-in, slept on my husband’s shoulder.
Boarding Egypt Air on 12th Sept 2007 reached Abu Simbel to find a large number of tourists gathered with whom we were to visit the spot by bus. Later we needed to walk.
My husband had problems with his knees and hated slopes. After the short bus ride, we had to go by foot.
Pretty bougainvillea flowers adorn Abu Simbel Airport seen on the picture.
On reaching the point, my partner sat on a stone bench and I kept snapping.
The typical Egyptian boy enjoys his hobby of seasonal selling of picture postcards.
He related the same when I spoke to him. He smiled and posed for me when I said I make my own cards and questioned if he would like to model.
We joined this group of tourists in the picture.
Situated between the high dam and the Egyptian-Sudanese border known as Nubia, the original areas under lake, Nubians have transferred to New Nubia, 30 km north to Aswan.
The Great Temple at Abu Simbel built by Ramses II period of reign 1290-1224 BC has a façade dominated by four colossal statues each one 20m.
The temple mesmerised me with its epic depiction that compelled my mind to build connections to no other than four brothers Ram-Laxman-Bharat-Shatrughan…
Complete with monkeys occupying deliberately prime position at the entrance, above the statues in row.
The statues have heads decorated in a manner that resemble Indian style of tying long tresses gathered into a huge knot placed on top. They wearing double crown as claimed, looks more like turbans.
Astonishingly the complete hill and structure transferred and mounted at this present place. Thus, why do we not believe that Hanuman carried the Gandamadhavan Parvat on shoulder to revive back to consciousness? Why call these feats mere epical myths?
The row of monkeys or baboons whatever they maybe marked red by me to highlight.
Next to this temple, finds a smaller one for Nefertari the wife of Ramses II dedicated to Hathor goddess of love, music, and beauty.
Scorching sun of around 9.30 – 10.00 am had me burn my sense of association and I enjoyed every bit of it.
Each carving, each depiction loud with silence…I simply dislike the scholarly idea of interpreting the three parallel lines on top of one another lying in horizontal undulation as signifying the river Nile just because they are drawn in ripple. River Nile Ok, but it surely signifies the flow of Time. Three ripples depict past present future…
Hope, the historians consider the same without being languid because not only could this throw new perspectives but also organize facts. Whoever scoffs at me, I request please do reflect…
The entrance roof shows restored paintings structure built some thousand years before Christ. Observe in the picture a pensive head. I love it.
They have survived the onslaughts of Nature and its beings. Restoration often finds alterations as per restaurateur... challenges by various schools though make for interesting reading.
Purely based on one-sided European viewpoints, historical studies, inconsiderate to local age-old perceptions, practice, tradition, and habits…tend to neglect a vital part.
Scholars cannot afford to be snobbish by any chance. Bias buries factual findings that mislead calculations. Let us surpass racialism, personal vendetta, greed, fiscal supremacy… and write a humane chapter ahead. We, each one of one and all, born with qualities only practice makes perfect. Thus, let’s strive for world peace, effort opportunities for a meaningful sojourn on our beautiful planet earth.
Photo shows the one for Nefertari the wife of Ramses II dedicated to Hathor
A couple of hours sightseeing in Abu Simbel, we take the stipulated flight to Aswan for the 5 star Nile Cruise named Crown Jubilee.
It is a pleasant odourless, hospitable flight by the Egypt Air. The mature airhostesses were full of first class service and charms.
We check-in to the Cruise and prepare for days to come. Unlike the Chinese Cruise, this one proves to be value for money.
After the Chinese Cruise, I literally dreaded to take another one. However, this was a completely different experience.
The picture shows our decently equipped comfortable cabin that had no oppressive stink.
Bad smell puts me off and my struggles against it make a nasty me for sure.
Take a Nile Cruise while in Egypt, my suggestion to all visitors. They are convenient sightseeing and professional comfort.
Sail on the legendary river Nile to the known unknown, I have my ‘Nilkantha’ on mind. ‘Om Namoaha Shivaya’
From high up mountains, zigzag through borders, mighty rivers migrate down into the seas.
Do we see the movement as hammering illegal wandering creating hatred in our hearts? Or the toils it undertakes to water our lives, with fruitfulness.
Metaphysical and awe-inspiring evidences evoke.
Sun rise sunset reminders of the mystical cosmos.
These banks are reliable than those, responsible for much liquidation…
On the other side in the past, overflowing Nile brought joys and sorrows, on the bankers of yonder years.
Flood sweep lead to deposition of fertile alluvium soil enhanced crops. Egyptian cotton is the most famous comfortable natural fibre that adorns man through aeon.
Cruising through picturesque, hamlets, and palm trees, sprinkled senses with reminiscences, man lives with flavour emotions of the yesteryears…
Above sea level below, sea level high tide low tide, as per sensible, time and tide waits for none.
Ironically waits on history geography sciences for an extension to the vastness of knowledge and its creations.
Picture shows Mubarak Military Hospital in Aswan.
Our English-speaking guide waited on us in this city and escorted us to Aswan sightseeing by van and boat trip to the adjoining areas lying around.
He was a student from the university. Guiding was his part time occupation for his pocket money.
The boat was scary; notice a bucket kicking in the air with its rickety offhand appearance, compared to the guide and sailor. Nevertheless, mustering courage sailed along to see the sights.
No risk no gain, is a lexicon learn. The hillocks set me on a reverie to my previous travel to a country full of rocky stories in slabs, Greece. Of past and its subsequent impression unearthed.
Newly coined global fashion may not be so new a trend taking the artisanship of epic structural design of the past civilisation. Pyramids, Stupas, Statues, Temples, around the world with its local variations left behind by ancestors. Ravana flew Sita in his flying chariot across the skies to hide her in an island wrapped with gold, ‘Swarna Lanka’ Ceylon today.
Tracing may not be difficult with a little application of the dispassionate mind while restructuring inheritance to decipher intrinsic accuracy. But again, to err is human forgiving divine.
Does that make Tut Ankh Amon into a Laxman - preposterous? Some rubbish creeps into the mind…dismiss, dismiss…
These transferred temples fall on our way to Luxor.
List displays Studies established outline.
In Egypt, found most of the temples mauled, hauled, rolled, folded, tampered, again suited… created melancholia mayhem on my mood. Even the guides authenticated the same thoughts I had.
Then again reasoned, is it not life is but a Maya, an illusion that calls.
Dinner in the ship, I leisurely walked along the promenade, found some photo shops and transferred pictures into the CD to make space for my memory card. My spouse joined me later at the walkway…it was a pleasure.
Next morning we set for another spot.
Staccato wall figurine testimonial carry offers showing rituals for Pedjeshes (Why not we call the ceremonies as Pooja – in our terms of today --)Hindu’s have ritual Niti, Titi… words that can connect with ancient Egyptian make up and our present terms… (Goddess Neter, the temple of Titi,) Farfetched or not the following concept of those days of (Ancient Egyptian Ma’at,the reality or Hindu Mahatma the truth capable of the Mahat Karmathat made all groups what they are: is transcendent of ethics, just as a rock or a flower is amoral, a-ethical, without "truth or falsehood." How can a flower be "false" or "ethical?" It just is. How can the universe be "ethical or moral, right or wrong"? It simply is. That is Ma'at.) Very much typical Hindu concept good and the bad come from the same mother. Recollect Asura who revered Maheswar…
One may observe rituals even today by followers of an ancient religion Hinduism find links to the done up walls of the ancient along the banks of Nile. Think, me struck wild with imagination could say I recollect from floor deco paints (Alpana) that ensue Hindu prayer offerings. Other decorations with flowers, plant leaves, sandalwood paste, Naividya and items used, reflect adequately the Mahat Karma while working on to evoke Ishwar the Almighty.