Aswan   ---   10 to 13 March 2006
The morning after our Nile cruise ship arrived at Aswan we debarked and began our visits
to several interesting sites in and around Aswan.
Among our first visits was the Old Aswan Dam, built by the British in 1902 and increased
several times until it finally reached a height of 45 meters (147 ft.) by 1934.  The old dam
greatly expanded the area under cultivation along the banks of the Nile, reduced the
seasonal flooding, and increased the supply of hydroelectric power to the whole country.  
At the time of construction it was the largest dam in the world.  
We also visited the enormous  Aswan High Dam located a few kilometers (miles) south of
the Old Aswan Dam, which it replaced.   The new Aswan High Dam is 3,600 meters
(11,800 ft.) long and 110 meters (360 ft.) high.  That dam created Lake Nasser, the
largest man-made lake in the world, covering an area of more than 5,000 square
kilometers (3,000 square miles) with a storage capacity almost five times that of Hoover
Dam and extending far into the neighboring country of Sudan.   The High Dam was started
in 1960 with help from the Soviets (who suddenly quit and went home) and completed by
Egypt in 1974.  Egyptians are extremely proud of that outstanding accomplishment.
Cross Section of the
Aswan High Dam
Egypt receives very little rainfall.  For agriculture Egypt is almost entirely dependent on
heavy rains in central Africa; that water flows down the Nile through  Egypt where the
"imported" water is used to irrigate a narrow agricultural strip along the river and its
delta.  The rest of Egypt is mostly a desert with no vegetation.
The Aswan High Dam has caused many of the problems common to other large dams.  In
addition, construction of the Aswan High Dam and the creation of Lake Nasser has put under
water many ancient archaeological sites.  Egypt, with much foreign help, has been able to
dismantle some archaeological treasures and then reconstruct them above the level of Lake
Nasser.
On our first full day in the Aswan area we went by boat to Agilqiyya Island about 10 km (6
miles) upstream from Aswan, to visit the Philae Temple of Isis and related smaller temples.  
Those temples had been on the island of Philae, which was submerged by the creation of Lake
Nasser; before Philae was submerged the temples were dismantled and ferried to Agilqiyya
Island, where the temples were re-assembled.   An amazing feat!
Philae Temple of Isis viewed from boat
Facade of the Philae Temple of Isis
The visit to the temple of Isis was on of the highlights of our visit to Egypt.  After visiting
the temple by day we went back there by night to see and hear a "sound and light" show; the
sound was pompous and phony but the lighted temple looked beautiful.
Interior of Philae Temple of Isis at night
Philae Temple of Isis bathed in light
Contributing to our pleasure in Aswan was staying in the New Cataract Aswan Hotel.  Our room with
balcony on the eighth floor overlooked the beautiful boat-studded Nile and part of the town of
Aswan.  A really great sight!  Adjacent to our hotel (and under the same management) was the Old
Cataract Aswan Hotel, built more than a century ago and retaining its Victorian beauty and formality.
The Nile at Aswan as seen from our room in the New Cataract Aswan Hotel.  The brown
building at the extreme right of this photo is the Old Cataract Aswan Hotel.
We took a very early morning  one-hour flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel to visit the
outstanding temples there.  Like the Philae Temples, the temples at Abu Simbel were
threatened by the rising waters of Lake Nasser and were dismantled, transported, and rebuilt
65 meters (213 feet) higher than their original location.  
There are two main temples at Abu Simbel: the Great Temple of Rameses II and the Temple
of Hathor devoted to Queen Nefertari.  Unlike the other temples we visited in Egypt these
two temples were sculptured out of solid rock.  These two enormous temples are among the top
sights in Egypt.   Unfortunately we were not allowed to photograph the extensive interiors of
these two temples.
Above is an old photo of the same two Abu Simbel temples
at their original location.  This photo was displayed at
the Nubian Museum; this is a photo of a photo.
The temples at Abu Simbel:  on the left is the Temple
of Rameses II, on the right is the Temple of Hathor
We returned from Abu Simbel to Aswan around noon.  In the afternoon Virginia and I walked
to the Coptic Cathedral near our hotel and examined the interior.  This newly renovated
building on the outside had many features of a mosque as well as of a church.  The interior was
very opulently furnished --- especially the beautiful wooden pews and doors, as well as the
beautiful murals and other paintings.
Modern Coptic Cathedral, Aswan, Egypt
Coptic Cathedral Wall, Aswan, Egypt
We visited the ruins of St. Simeon's Monastery, located on a hill across the Nile from Aswan.
 We crossed the river by boat, rode camels for about twenty minutes up to the monastery and
then rode for approximately forty minutes to a Nubian village, and from there walked to the
landing for the boat ride back to our hotel.
St. Simeon's Monastery near Aswan, Eguypt
On our way to St. Simeon's Monastery, Egypt
Our last visit in Aswan was to the very modern Nubian Museum, located near our hotel.  
Nubia consists of the Nile valley of southern Egypt and northern Sudan traditionally
occupied by dark-skinned people who shared much of the history and culture of
lighter-skinned Egyptians to the north.  Construction of the Aswan High Dam and creation
of Lake Nasser resulted in submerging the homes of thousands of Nubians and many
archaeological sites.  Many Nubians were moved to other parts of Egypt, while most of the
Nubian artifacts from the inundated archaeological sites were placed in the new Nubian
Museum.

The Nubian Museum in Aswan is a wonderful place.  We were very impressed by the high
quality of the many artworks that were beautifully displayed.  The public is able to get
very close to the treasures and photography is encouraged.  Other museums could learn
much from the Nubian Museum.
Sculptures, Nubian Museum, Aswan
Figure, Nubian Museum
Entrance to the Nubian Museum, Aswan
Sorry, but we couldn't leave this "Aswan" page without another photo of the Nile viewed from our hotel room