My cruise on the Nile

The temple of Karnak

Quite a few years ago I went on a cruise on the Nile. I tell you, after that, I have not stopped loving the Egyptian culture and the amazing world that opens up at the historical sights. I still remember all the names of the temples, the Pharaos and the love stories behind the monuments. The stuffy smell at the long, cavelike aisle descending to the deep in the actual grave of king Tuthankhamon. The long shadows reflecting from the carved wlls at the evening tour in Kom Ombo, behind the buzzling bazar. The majestic statues of the Abu Simbel temple at dawn. The obelsiks at the Karnak temple, of which one is now taken to the center of Paris. The poles through which James Bond made his way in a chase scene.

 

The temple of Luxor

 

I am determined to go back. It is one thing to read about it in books, but another thing to be standing in the alleyway of an ancient temple, letting your fingers run through the carved writing on the wall that someone actually carved thousands of years ago. One bright moment for me was the realizing that the temples and monuments had actually been bright and abundant in color in the attempt of scaring the enemy away. For instance, these statues at the Abu Simbel temple in the Nubian desert were actually bright in yellow, green,  red and turquoise blue, all thickly black around the eyes to make the enemy step back as the morning sun would light up the colors.

 

The temple of Abu Simbel

My dream (yes, one of them) is to take the kids for this kind of an adventure. Every day was well planned, it consisted of cruising in a large cabin, and poolside with all inclusive meals, and about one day trip each day to a sight. Higly recommendable.