Walking like an Egyptian

Hi there! Greetings from Aswan.

I've been in Egypt for four full days now (and one travelling) and you won't believe how much we've packed in!!!

We arrived around 3am local time on Friday and were up at 7am to go to Tanis, an ancient capital city which is possibly the city mentioned in the Exodus. As Friday was Paddy's Day we managed to find probably the only bar in Cairo which had a St Patrick's Day celebration. We all got a bit tipsy on Saqqara Red, this really nice local beer.

This didn't stop us from going to the Cairo Museum the next day. The gate guard told me he loved me. It is really strange as we get stared at everywhere we go. I've never known anything like it. That night we spent 12 hours (no exaggeration) on a train down here to Aswan. Our hotel here is great and the food is phenomenal!

Yesterday was the best yet as we got a trip which included Rameses' II temples at Abu Simbel (one of which he dedicated to his beloved wife, hell of an anniversary present!), plus the Aswan High Dam, the beautiful island temple of Philae (which is too gorgeous for description) and the Unfinished Obelisk. It was knackering as it was a half 3 start but it was sooooooo worth it.

Today we are taking an overnight felucca cruise up to Kom Ombo where the crocodile god Sobek was worshiped. Then we join an overland convoy to the Ptolomeic temple of Horus at Edfu before heading on to Luxor.

I am having a whale of a time and touch wood, it'll stay that way. I'll post more when I get home and hopsefully start a Flikr account for my pics!!!

TTFN