Aswan to Abu Simbel

You know that you’re in that special photographic zone when you see a picture everywhere you look.

Saying farewell to a special place

Everywhere we’ve been in Egypt has been difficult to leave. We’ve enjoyed the accommodations and explored the slightly different flavours in our meals. Each stop has been a veritable feast for the stomach and eyes. In many ways, there is an overload of things to share.

As great as all what we’ve seen, what we ate and where we’ve stayed. The biggest takeaway has been the sense of sadness for having to say farewell to the people in each place. We’ve constantly felt like we’re more than just guests in hotels. It’s been like leaving long lost friends or favoured family members.

On the road again

This isn’t my hotel, it’s your second home!

Our host, and new family member, Mohamed, owner of New Abu Simbel Hotel

You know you’re in for a treat when the hotel owner greets you, introduces himself as the owner, then follows up with, “ This is my hotel and your second home.” Then proceeds to give you one wow experience after the other.

Mohamed understood that we needed sustinence right away, then gave us some time before a boat tour of Lake Nasser, the world’s largest man made lake. Home for dinner, then the site and sound show at the magnificent Abu Simbel.

Lake Nasser boat trip

The New Aswan Hotel Experience

Abu Mahmood, the “Fire and Tea” man at the New Memnon Hotel, at the soon-to-be-completed fire pit.

The magic continued after the boat cruise, we were welcomed back at the hotel with open arms and the smallest, most productive fire I have seen. The hosts spread the mats, rugs, chairs for whatever our ability needed. This lot is very exhausted, the heat in excess of 38 degrees Celsius for a week straight is extracting a heavy toll. We’re simply not used to it.

This trip with all the planning (credit to Monique), all the arranging with tour guides, is a challenge. More on that later. For now, meet our extended family, the crew at the New Abu Simbel Hotel.

Photo of the day

Abu Mahmood, our tea maker at the New Abu Simbel Hotel.

From the Desk/Phone of Monique MacDonald

Meet Monique, she is my cousin and the daughter of Mounir and Mona Kerba. He was the uncle that I had the most memories with as a youngster. Then, as I grew older, my refuge and go-to place when I wanted to go to Montreal. She is more like a sister to me. IT IS VERY SCARY HOW ALIGNED WE WERE ON THIS TRIP.

It was not unusual for me to text her at five thirty AM and have her respond almost immediately from Edmonton. You know, Edmonton —the city that wants to be so much like Toronto —they can taste it. They can’t even keep up with us; for instance, they're always two hours behind. That says it all. This, of course, tongue in cheek, to get a rise out of Monique.

Monique is the worker bee and architect of 90 percent of this trip. I took advantage of that and greatly appreciated her willingness to do the heavy lifting, since most of the time spent planning this trip fell during an all-consuming business transition. As an example, before the transition started, I was having three to five client meetings per week. During the transition, we did as many as fifteen.

Monique is also an accomplished author, having co-published three mysteries in the Maddy Whitman series. https://www.maddywhitman.com

It was only natural to include her blog of our trip. The only reason I did not do so previously was technical problems on my iPad and internet issues; that was one more thing to deal with, and quite frankly, I ran out of time and energy to incorporate her blog post. I will be updating my previous journal as well for context and details. Please check other dates when you have time.

Mighty Abu Simbel, by Monique MaDonald

Abu Simbel is a 3-hour drive from Aswan. We hired a driver and guide to accompany us on a visit to this incredible wonder. Aswan's surrounding desert was nothing compared to driving across it to reach Abu Simbel! The views were unbelievable. I found out that they cut canals from the Nile leading into the desert and irrigated whole fields! Imagine hundreds of acres of land, filled with green crops, dotting the desert landscape. They even have military recruits working those fields to help feed people, horses, and cattle. And there were rocky and bare mountains, dunes, and one rest stop selling every flavour of chips imaginable! The oases are our highway pit stops. Except in Egypt, they charge you to use the bathroom and for each toilet paper sheet, which you must purchase before using the facilities. We came prepared, carrying sandwich bags filled with TP.

On our way to Abu Simbel, we asked our driver and guide to take a short detour so we could see the High Aswan Dam. All I can say is "WOW!" It's massive. We even got to walk on it. Another box checked on our bucket lists.

Once in a while, I get a bright idea. Boy, were we glad this one happened months ago while we were planning our trip to visit this site. When I found out that we would have to leave Aswan around 4 am (meaning we'd have to get up earlier to prepare and eat), and that the drive would be 3 hours there and another three back to Aswan to catch a flight to Cairo, well... I imagined how much pain my body would be in and how cranky I'd get. So, we decided to spend the night in Abu Simbel instead. What a fantastic decision that was.

We stayed at a new Nubian-themed hotel (1 year old). The staff couldn't bend backward enough for us. They met us with cold juices, gave us welcome gifts, had fresh fruit in our rooms, and offered us tours (at a ridiculously cheap price!)

A private 1.5-hour boat tour of Lake Nasser to view Abu Simbel from the water was immediately booked for Naguib, Chris, and me. Donna and Larry opted to rest and stay out of the hot 35°+ sun.

What a fun and worthwhile motorboat tour that was. Including the part where we had to walk a tiny gangplank onto one boat, then climb out onto our boat to get going (and back). I tell you, I am not as nimble as I used to be. Still made it without making a splash😁

Lake Nasser is the world's largest man-made lake. It's a large reservoir in southern Egypt and northern Sudan, created when the Aswan High Dam was built. Construction of the High Dam began in 1960 under Egypt's second president, Gamal Abdel Nasser. It took over 10 years to finish. President Anwar Sadat inaugurated the lake and dam in 1971. This dam was built to replace the older Low Dam at Aswan, built in 1902. The High Dam and Lake were constructed so Egypt could have a larger water source to support its agricultural production and generate electricity. Let's say it's massive!

The sun was setting, a warm breeze was whispering over the lake and on our faces. We saw a variety of waterfowl, people fishing on its banks, ferries transporting semis from Egypt to Sudan and back, and last but not least, the impressive Abu Simbel temple. I honestly can't get enough of sailing and boating in Egypt. It is simply blissful.

A remarkable trivia fact Naguib pointed out to us: we had crossed the Tropic of Cancer!

Upon our return, we were received by a gentleman in a galabeya stoking a small wood fire on the sand in front of the hotel. They were making us tea. We sat around the fire on rugs and chairs, sipping "Nubian" tea. It was rich and smoky. What an unexpected experience!

After a dinner of fresh Tilapia, plucked from the lake that morning, we went to watch the light-and-sound show. These monuments, lit up at night, are stunning.

The next morning, we woke up early to head back to Aswan and catch a flight back to Cairo. Our trip was coming to an end, with 3 days left before our return to Canada.

All good things must come to an end.

Hugs,

Monique

October 19