Entombed and Megalomaniac Pharoahs

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December 1st 2006

Published: December 4th 2006

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Gus C

Sphinx

This blog is dedicated to Terence and Natalie who got married last Sunday 26th November. Congrats guys!!!

Took a short trip to Alexandria with some of the Drago guys. Laid back place - very relaxing. It was nice to stroll along the Mediterranean Sea with the locals and not a tourist in sight.

Then it was back to Cairo where I said "au revoir" to the Drago crew (farewell drinks on the Nile Hilton terrace - very swanky) and moved onto my next adventure with Explore. The new group consists of 11 Brits, and me as the token Aussie. Bit of good-natured sledging after we whipped their asses in the First Ashes Test.

First up was visiting the Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza (groovy), some random papyrus-making place (boring), the Egyptian Museum (really cool stuff especially the Tutankhamen exhibits, but shockingly maintained as anyone can touch the exhibits).

Then it was onto the overnight train (about 14 hours) to Aswan. Major highlight was Abu Simbel. Pharoah Ramesses II built a great big temple to himself as a living god, after the Hittite battle of Qadesh. Really subtle; it's basically one huge ego trip. You can't take any

Typical tourist shot

photos inside, but suffice to say the bas reliefs were amazing - totally blew me away. This dude was pretty busy fighting battles all over the place, and even had time to entertain 20 wives and sire over 175 kids.

Next was a visit to the Aswan High Dam (contains approx 8 years' water supply), followed by dinner in a Nubian house (interesting).

Finally, it was time to relax, unwind and do sweet bugger-all by cruising down the Nile for 3 days/nights by felucca from Aswan to Edfu.

Additional photos below

Photos: 22, Displayed: 22

Pyramids at Giza

Really hazy day. Great Pyramid of Cheops (#1), Pyramid of Chephren (#2) & Pyramid of Mycerinus (#3)

Pyramid of Chephren

Went inside this pyramid (2nd one). It is the only one partially covered (tip only).

Train to Alex

Took the 2nd class train (approx 3 hours). Very comfy with heaps of legroom and tea trolley dude

Mediterranean

Walked to the Citadel. Lots of strolling couples and families, and people fishing on the rocks

Lunch

Enjoying roll your own shwarmas of Egyptian barbecued meat rissoles, sausages and liver with Colin, Mick, Frosty & Chris.

Sidewalk coffee shop

Abu Simbel

Temple of Ramesses II

Ramesses II

Babboon god

Worshipping the rising sun

Nefertari's temple

You can't just build a temple for yourself. Have to keep your fave missus happy as well.

High tea with Agatha

Posh sunset tea at the Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan (with Chris, Martin & Layla) which inspired the Agatha Christie novel "Death on the Nile"

Knum Temple

Located on Elephantine Island. The natural black line on the temple walls is the Nileometre, which measured the taxes to be paid according to the height of the Nile River (ie. more water = more silt = better crops).