Hot Insanely busy days.....Hot Humid Nights, McDonald's ...Egypt, Temples, Perfumes, The Obilisk of Death, and Feculla Rides

The Cruise ship food is Ok, But Sometimes you crave a taste of Home................
(Those of you freaking out at the price need to Know that 1 American Dollar is worth 5.7 Egyptian Pounds so That Big Mac Value Meal SUPER SIZED is only $3.67. And When I say Super sized I mean SUPER SIZED.
........And Really, to Most Americans, Mc Donald's satisifies a craving that is really as impossible to expain as it is to ignore.



2 Cheeseburgers, Super Fries and a Coke.
SUPER SIZED! (You know, like we used to be able to get in the US before those Trans-Fat Nazis ruined it all, Buggers)
Not to say that there are not differences, Like this McArabia made with Beef Kifta (Shish Kebab Meat), and the French Fries are fried in Peanut Oil. Still, it all tasted WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
Sam Agreed!
Then It was on to our Egyptian Party on the Boat.
Lots of Fun, Much Drinking.............
.......and somehow Toilet Paper Mummies....................

Bellow you can see an Example of our Itinerary each day..........
http://www.gate1travel.com/egypt-travel/default.aspx If any of you want to Check it out. I did the 15 day package, and the prices are done before you add on all the "Optional" tours that I did. So Far I have had a great experience with this company and will use them again!
Our Cruise Ship
The Docks In Aswan
And Again our Little ship! (Not as large as some of them on the Nile But SOOO Nice!)
You will never feel unsafe in Egypt, these white uniformned "Tourist Police" are EVERYWHERE!! No
A Mum taking her adorable little one to school.
For all you students out there THIS is the "First Cataract" of the Nile at Aswan. The Cataracts (of which there were 6) served as boundary markers in Ancient Egypt. Most of them are now covered by................
............Lake Nassar shown above, Created by the Aswan High Dam...........
Shown Here. Almost 50% of Egypt's power is Generated here.

Standing on top of the Dam in the traditional Pharonic Pose. (Another one to be filed under stupid photos friends make you take on Holiday)

Then it was off to the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddesses Isis and Hathor.

Sash,
And Jo.

The temple is on it's own island so a motor boat ride was needed to get us there.

It is amazing how lush and green everything is in this heat. Easily 110 Degrees at this time.



The Entire island is covered in flowers and shrubs, Befitting the Goddeses Isis; Wife of Osiris, Queen of the gods, patron of Magic and Healing; and Hathor, the "cow" goddess, patron of Love and Music.






The Temple is divided into two parts, one for Hathor and one for Isis.

Many of the Reliefs were "chipped out" in ancient times, first the Christians and then the Muslims, above you can see a Coptic Cross Carved into the Stone.


The Pharoh offering to The Hawk god Horus and Hathor.








Also "Descrating" the temple in ages past were the Greeks at the time of Alexander the Great and The French much later with Napoleon.
There was also a side temple where the goddess Isis was taken during the day to "recharge" in the light of Ra the sun god, before being taken to the "Holy Of Holies" during the night.


Just an amazing structure.




The Innermost Chamber, The Holy of Holies were the goddesses were secured at night. SOLID Granite altar.
Just a beautiful Island, like the one I love!

Then it was off to a Perfume Manfacturing company, where CB got talked into buying some oils.
(4 in total, I got one free with purchase!)

Then it was the Hottest place so Far, the Unfinished Obilisk, or as we came to call it the Obilisk of DEATH!
A Hike up a Hill of a Granite Quarry at midday in the blazing hot sun with all the heat being reflected and magnified by the Solid granite Everywhere? Try walking into a micrwave and you will know what it felt like. 130 degrees EASILY!

You climb up.....
........and up.........
......and Up............
And you get to see this gigiantic Obilisk that was left unfinished when it cracked in place during production. Huge beyond belief. Still not sure if it was worth the Heat Stroke to see it! I literally bought a bottle of Mineral Water and regular water on the way back to the bus and drank them both in 3 minutes.
A few hours after we got back to the boat, and after a shower and rest it was time to go on a Feculla Ride around Elephantine island.
Rachel, Elizabeth, Tim and over on the side Karen and Bill.
New Friends David and Daisy.
A beautiful ride in a wonderful place. And the Temp had gone down a bit (still 100) but the breeze made it bearable.

Rock Cut Tombs in the Cliff Face for City Officials and High Nobles dating from the time of the pyramid construction in Giza.

Sorry I missed a day there everyone! SOOO super busy here as you can see above!

More Pictures soon!

CB