Aswan market
Viraj needed a new pair of shades and I wanted to pick up some fruit (man cannot live by falafel alone) so we took a field trip to the local market. In no time at all, the vendors swooped in and found us, Viraj got his sunglasses, and I got my fruit. We explored the market for awhile, though we passed on buying anything else, including live pigeons.
Nile cruise
Since we were in southern Egypt heading north, we spent a couple of days cruising up to Luxor. The boat was large and I'm pretty sure its features and decor would have been most appreciated in the 1980s.
I do appreciate towel sculptures. Swans!
Traveling through a lock.
Right before entering the lock, the boat slowed down considerably, allowing men in rowboats to catch up and throw their goods for sale aboard.
There were some great sunsets.
Temple of Philae
Like with Abu Simbel, the Temple of Philae was threatened by the construction of the Aswan High Dam and had to be completely relocated from one island to another. There was something about the short boat ride to see a relocated temple that gave it kind of a Disney feel. Then again, maybe it was just the heat.
Temple of Edfu
Building the Temple of Edfu took nearly 200 years to complete, finally wrapping up in 57 BC. Dedicated to Horus, just about every inch of the temple walls was covered in carvings of the gods, goddesses, and hieroglyphics.
A little over 400 years after the temple's completion, Edfu was part of the Roman Empire. At this time it was illegal to practice any religion other than Christianity. Christians vandalized the carvings, chiseling out the details until gods turned into man-shaped blobs in funny hats.
