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Wednesday, 18 April. The ship sailed south for
Aswan at 5:00 and arrived at 7:30, about the time we went to breakfast. There
were Nubian craftsmen offering their wares on the sun deck until 9:00, and we
got up there only 20 minutes before they left. Jane barely had time to buy a
couple of small things before we rushed to the bus for a tour of the Aswan High
Dam. It was another very hot day, with a heavy haze and even a little sand
blowing in the wind.
On the way to the High Dam we passed the recently renovated Coptic Cathedral, Just after that, we crossed over to the west bank on the earlier, British-built Aswan Dam, completed in 1902 (but raised twice after that). It's still in operation but is dwarfed by the Soviet-built dam a few miles upstream.
Completed in 1970, the High Dam was designed to prevent flooding, generate electricity, and provide water for agriculture. It's 2.3 miles long and 364 feet tall. The reservoir behind it, named Lake Nasser, is hundreds of miles long. The bus drove us all the way across the High Dam, where we could see the Lotus Monument that commemorates construction of the dam. Then the driver made a U-turn and took us back to the middle of the dam where he dropped us off . The dam is about 130 feet wide with a two-lane highway flanked by a broad grassy park with lots of trees, so you'd never guess that you were on a dam. We had half an hour to explore on our own. The sun was out and the haze was gradually clearing, but we still couldn't see much at any distance.
Our bus left at 10:00 to take us to our next excursion, a visit to the Temple of Philae. This temple complex is relatively recent, constructed mostly in Greco-Roman times. It originally stood on the sacred island of Philae in the Nile. With the construction of the 1902 British dam downstream, the island and much of the temple was submerged during the winter months, then reemerged in the summer as the water behind the dam was used for irrigation. When the High Dam was completed upstream in 1970, the island was constantly submerged between the two dams. Fortunately, the temple was later dismantled and rebuilt on a nearby island (Agilkia), reshaped to resemble the original island and renamed Philae. The bus dropped us near a landing where many boats and many tourists were waiting. We first put on the life vests that we'd brought with us from the Anuket, then we boarded, about 30 to a boat. The haze was completely gone and it was a gorgeous day for a boat ride. Approaching the temple by water gave us an especially beautiful perspective.
The boat landing was adjacent to the Vestibule of Nectanebos I, a wide area flanked by a row of columns on each side and leading to the first pylon. The temple complex was relatively small (only two pylons & one courtyard) but very interesting. The main temple was dedicated to Isis, but there were a number of side temples. Beyond the second pylon was a small hypostyle hall with beautiful columns. Away from the Temple of Isis and near the opposite shore stood Trajan's Kiosk, an exquisite structure named after the Roman Emperor.
The island setting, along with the refreshment stands, souvenir
shops, and crowds of tourists, made the visit feel much like a weekend family
outing.
We boarded the boats again for the trip back to the mainland. One of the ubiquitous vendors joined us on the boat.
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