Today’s Fun Photo Friday features some favorite images from along the River Nile, Abu Simbel, and our approach to Kom Ombo later that same evening on the 27th of February. The Kom Ombo image is on the upper left in today’s photo gallery/slide show:
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One thing about Abu Simbel I neglected to mention Monday or Wednesday is an interesting factoid, but first I have a little riddle for you. Are you ready? Well, then, here goes:
Question: How do you hide a couple of massive temples this enormous in size?
Answer: No need. The Egyptian desert will hide them for you.
What do I mean by that? I’ll explain in a moment, after today’s photo gallery/slide show:
Now for an amazing fact: Abu Simbel eventually completely disappeared beneath a massive sand dune. Indeed by the 6th century BC., sand had already buried the gigantic statues of Ramses the II up to their knees, and the whole comlex became lost to the “sands” of time and the collective European memory. It was not until March 1813 that Swiss geographer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt came across a portion of the Small Temple and the frieze at the top of the Great Temple, thus “rediscovering” Abu Simbel.
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The Ancient Egyptian god Horus had many roles. Horus was not just the god of the Sun (his right eye), as you can see depicted above with the sun perched upon his head. Horus was also was god of the sky, including the Moon (his left eye) as well, kingship, healing, protection, and various other realms. Horus was one busy little falcon. Horus also had many iterations, but he is most commonly depicted as a falcon. And Horus wasn’t the only Egyptian god with many different depictions. So, to, is the goddess Hathor, seen here as a cow:
I mentioned on Monday that we did have one glitch on this excursion — our driver — and our companion/guide Mohamad Salah was none too happy with this recalcitrant chap. On both the way down and, especially on the way back north, he was taking his own sweet time despite knowing we were due back at our river boat, the Jaz Celebrity, for a 13:30 departure. Breaks for coffee. Breaks for a smoke. Breaks for the toilet. Brakes for the speed (see what I did there?). Despite Mohamad growing increasingly impatient and perturbed, nothing prompted this guy to put his foot on the gas until Mohamad started making some calls. I got the impression this is one driver neither Mohamad nor Luxor and Aswan Travel would be using again.
Not that I was concerned about missing the boat. I knew they’d be waiting for us, but delaying the entire compliment of passengers is never a good thing. Now for today’s photo gallery/slide show of Abu Simbel:
This week’s Fun Photo Friday will present my Abu Simbel favorites. Monday the Jaz Celebrity casts off and we begin images of the cruise northward on the Nile toward Luxor.
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Decisions — Murder in Paradise
Mystery novel available for Kindle
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The Globe — Murder in Luxury
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R. Doug Wicker — Author 