10/14/06
Dear Friends & Family,
Sorry there hasn't been time to write a travelogue
lately. Actually, there has been time but no internet
as we have been on the cruise boat on the Nile. Now
we are in Aswan where we will be taking a long bus
trip to see the Ramses II temple at Abu Simbel
tomorrow. We have to leave at 4AM to drive up there.
This temple was one that was entirely removed from the
cliff it was carved in and moved so that it would not
be covered by the rising waters of Lake Nasser after
the Aswan High Dam was built. Amazing. Today we
visited a Nubian Museum here showing their culture and
some of the 30 odd sites that were moved from Nubia
before the dam waters covered them. More on this
later.
We are enjoying the cruise boat where there are
three tour groups from Imaginative Traveller sharing
the space. The Nile is beautiful with green lush
areas on both sides, palm trees, lots of agriculture,
donkeys, water buffalo, many birds, and occasionally
small villages. It is relaxing to watch it all flow
by from the lounge area on top of the boat. Our
travel companions are nice and there are 12 in our
group, so we are enjoying that. We also have made
friends in the other groups.
Rather than just go up the Nile, we stop every now
and then to see a sight. There was also a lock that
we went through but we didn't see it as it was during
the middle of the night. Tomorrow afternoon we leave
here and go back to Luxor on the boat, so more
enjoyable cruising is ahead of us.
Time is running out so I will have to catch up
later on the places we have seen, what our group is
like, etc. Just wanted to let you know we are well
and having a great time.
Sending big hugs,
Love, Mary & Elaine