Monday 15th of March April. Valencia to Madrid to Cairo to Aswan.
A pleasant flight from Madrid in economy on AirEgypt but David had reserved the central seat of three for a €20 and so we had a lot more room than otherwise. And even the food was edible on AirEgypt. Downside was that they are a dry airline.
We finally got to Aswan airport near midnight, where a well educated man, as arranged, picked us up, found out luggage and transferred us in a taxi to the river dock from which the boat went to the hotel Ben Ben. At one stage we both thought independently that we were being abducted as we approach the river edge down a cart track.
It was then a wondrous 15 minute ride across to the hotel past many little islands, with minimum lights. Once at the hotel dock we boarded a tuk tuk which whizzed us, at break neck speed. up a windy narrow path which was only discernible by a ribbon of light up the middle of the track.
The reception was good and we were soon installed in our room which overlooked the Nile and an ancient Egyptian temple , and had a gorgeous balcony with a Jacuzzi on it.
Lightsout was past 1 a.m.
Tuesday 16th April at the Ben Ben hotel.
We had a really good night's sleep and woke up to a fantastic view of the Nile and the Philae Temple from our balcony. Chris had a quick dip into the not too full Jacuzzi ,which was not actually functioning as a Jacuzzi.
Then a little unpacking before going down to breakfast and realising what a terrible path it was to our room. But the breakfast was delightful. We then had a wander round the hotel complex going up to a meditation stone with a good view over the river and islands. We spent the rest of the day mainly on our balcony reading. Before sunset, around six, we went up to the bar and ordered two passion fruit smoothies there which were delicious (the hotel was "dry", so no booze). However the view from the bar terrace was not so nice as from our balcony, so we brought the drinks back to our balcony.
Chris had another dip in the Jacuzzi after this, but we had to keep asking reception, to turn the Jacuzzi on and off. We also requested some more water in the pool which made it far easier to exercise in.
At dinner we had some trouble with the waiter understanding what menus we wanted but eventually overcame the communication problem and had a very good meal, including Greek Salad, Beef Diane and a Cheesecake. Another dip in the Jacuzzi before bed.
Before dinner, we had found an influx of ants in the bathroom but the hotel did deal with these whilst we were eating.
Wednesday, 17th April at the Ben Ben hotel.
Before breakfast Chris went into the Jacuzzi which had been running all night and so continuslly heating the water. It was boiling hot , so not very relaxing. Then into breakfast around 10.00 where we had a really super brunch, including a typical Egyptian breakfast dish, Falafel - a sort of vegetarian rissole. After this, we wondered down to the banks of the Nile where we had landed at the hotel on Monday night. There was a really lovely garden going down which we had been too tired to appreciate previously.
David discovered more about the temple of Philae which we could see from our balcony. This temple had originally been on the same island. as we were, called Philae, and the temple had been inundated by the filling of lakes behind the the two dams. So it was moved around 1970 to its current position where it dould stay above water.
We had another wonder round the pathways of the hotel and up to the. meditation rock. At five we went to the bar and Chris had a passion fruit smoothie and David lemon mint drink. A walk up to reception to arrange for the Jacuzzi to be put on again: such a problem not being able to turn it on and off ourselves. Also, the path to our room or still scattered with stones due to the builders in the next door room: We do not think management ever walked along this path which also had no lights at night after supper. We had some shrimps and a pizza followed by a date cake also pomegranate juices which were delicious .
Thursday 18th April at the Ben Ben hotel.
A very lazy day. Chris got reception to turn on the Jacuzzi when we woke up and then we had a telephone call to ask if it had been done Then a room boy (they are all male in Egypt) banged on our door wanting to do up the room. We sent him away, and the result was that the the room was only made up at 2 pm, Chris then had to ask them to turn off the Jacuzzi when we went into breakfast. What a kerfuffle.
We enjoyed breakfast again but something in it upset David‘s stomach and he was ill all day, just venturing up to the hotel Terrace for a non-smoothie at 7:30 pm , after breakfast we walk down to the Nile again and took photos of the boys. At 4 pm Chris went and had an aroma therapy massage which was quite pleasant.And she almost finished her latest Isabel Allende book, The Wind Knows My Name. We sat on the balcony after our smoothie, and from here we could see the Son & Lumiere from the temple
Friday19th April. We travel from BenBen Hotel to SS Misr
A Jacuzzi before breakfast and then a leisurely morning packing the cases before leaving the hotel at 1 pm to transfer to the SS MISR. At Check Out the receptionists asked if all had been fine with our stay, which was a mistake on her part as David felt impelled to tell tham about the Jacuzzi problems and the lack of light on the path to our roo. Net result was the manager wwas called, and gave one of our dinners to us on the house
The transfer involved a boat ride to the ferry port and then a taxi ride across a section of the Sahara Desert to the Abercrombie and Kent Dock some 20 km north of Aswan. The dock had been changed from the original dock in the town, we think because of the security ramp up as a spin out from the Gaza War the the Israelis were conducting.
We arrived at the boat around 2 pm and the ship seemed crowded. But in fact all the people were the remnants from the last cruise who were here until after lunch and there were just four of us of the new cruise aboard. Around 2pm we had lunch with, the other two, Charles and Carol,, from the US.
Then we returned to our cabin 303 and unpacked . The boat was deliciously antique but not rundown. Soon after five Chris went for a swim up on deck 5 and was delighted with the pool, small though it was. Then had a drink of wine up there watching the Sun go down. David read out all about King Farouk (who had owned the Misr at one time) from Wikipedia . At 7:30. we went for dinner and met two more guests who had arrived early, Peter and Eileen from Broadstairs. We enjoyed the meal even though the main course was a bit tasteless. Unfortunately, the rest of the dinners will be Buffets when there is our full group total of 26 guests on board: They flew in from the UK later at around at midnight. In fact it turned out the the buffets were much better than the served meals, as the chef tended to cook the set meals well in advance, put them in the bain maries and by the time we got them, the food had dried out
Saturday 20th April. Aswan.
After a very light breakfast of just fresh orange juice and fruit we set out, the 26 of us, to the Nubian museum. We were divided into two groups for our whisper machines.. We were in the Ramses group with. Amr (pronounced Amra", who was the senior of the two tour guides
Chris felt a little queasy on the coach and this feeling of nausea continued for most of the day until she was physically lightly sick at the Philae Temple in the late afternoon. Which, as is the wont with food poisoning, sorted out most of the symptoms
In the morning , we enjoyed our guided tour of the Nubian museum with some very fine statues on display
We got back to the boat in time for a fire drill up on the top deck at 11:30. Then Chris tried to have a sleep until 12.45 to be ready for the next outing to the high dam, the temple and the old Cataract hotel for afternoon tea at sunset.
She really struggled going to the Philae Temple and walking round it, and was eventually sick. But was feeling slightly better by the time we got to the Old Cataract Hotel. The hotel terrace, where we had the afternoon tea, was truly beautiful overlooking the Nile and the graceful feluccas sailing past. Chris was only up to some fruit and none of their tempting cakes. Regrettably David seriously attacked the traditional three layer cake stand , laden with cakes and sandwiches
Back on the bus, we heard the jolly news that wake up the next morning would be 3:45 am, for a 4.15am start for our trip to Abu Simbel. So we just ordered a bowl of soup for dinner in our room and had a really early night. Hopefully Chris will feel much better when she wakes up in the early hours of tomorrow morning.
Sunday 21st April.. Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
As expected we were woken up at 3:45 am for our trip to Abu Simbel.
We enjoyed two glasses of fresh orange juice in the cabin before setting off on the coach at 4:15 equipped with a breakfast box, we also took a pillow each and Chris promptly went to sleep for almost 3 hours on the coach and never touched the breakfast box.
We arrived at Abu Simbel Around 8am and left at 10am. It was very hot here, with temperature reaching low forties centigrade (later on north of Luxor temperatures fell to a maximum of 33 degrees)
Abu Simbel is a world heritage site. The two temples there which have been rescued from lower land when the Aswan High Dam created Lake Nassar in the 1970s . The temples were truly fantastic, even though Chris could not see a lot of the detail of the carvings. Mustafa gave us much information about them. And we posed for the necessary iconic photos in front of the temple
On leaving Abu Simbel , the bus made it back to the ship in record time arriving there at around 1.40 p.m. The ship moved promptly at 2 pm with everybody aboard in order to to reach Kom Ombo. We had lunch and then went up to the Sun deck where Chris had a swim. The boat cruised downstream and we had time for afternoon tea before heading out again to visit Kom Umbo temple.
We were able to walk straight off the ship to this temple, which was also so impressive. One of the things that impressed us was a blue painted ceiling in an open air structure. We also learnt that only kings and queens had cartouches (the eliptical hieroglyph - hieroglyphs are the writing system ancient Egyptians used for inscriptions mostly on walls of temples and tombs. ) and pharaohs each had two different ones - one with birth name and one with pharonic name.
Back onboard we sailed again. Then there was a managers cocktail party followed by a disastrous gala dinner where the steak was well done instead of rare and pretty tough to bootl. We could not eat it, nor could the others on the table. Strangely the staff removed the plates still laden with food, without asking why we had not eaten it. On the way out of the restaurant, at the end of the meal, the Manager made the mistake of asking us if we had enjoyed the meal. David put him right on the problems he had with the chef pre-cooking food too far in advance and leaving it to stew in hotplates. To be fair to the ship, next day, he asked us to have a rare steak for lunch, to show that the chef could in fact cook a rare steak. And it was rare, moist, and perfect - it could be done if they set their minds to it
Monday 22nd April . Edfu Temple and on to Luxor
A 6:30 am dis-embark to visit the temple of Edfu. The boat was moored here and we just had a short walk to this impressive temple. It was a magnificent complex which contained, among other delights, a perfume room where recipes for all sorts of perfumes were written in hieroglyphics on the walls. and we were told that Chanel had made use of these perfume recipies- we were a bit doubtful on that though.
We were back on the boat by 8:30 am and had breakfast. There was then talk at 10:30 am on the upcoming days activities and what we were meant to pay in tips at the end of our stay. Egyptians were vary keen on tips. You cannot even go to the loo without having to tip the attendant - but to be fair out tour guides did sort out the loo tipping, so we did not actually have to pay them.
Later in the morning, at 11:30, we went through the Esna Lock: we were delayed a few minutes by the fact that they had no electricity when we arrived. so they could not operate the lock gates. Really interesting bad tempered shouting between ship and shore - Egyptians seem to like bad tempered shouting as it is part of their way of life.
After a lunch of the portion of rare cooked steak offered to us due to the charred offerings of the previous night, Chris had a siesta and then a swim at 3:30 which was very invigourating ,
We reached Luxor and we went out again at 4:30 to the Luxor museum which contains the finds of an archaeological dig from 1989, just fantastic. It was a really good museum and it was not overcrowded with artifacts nor with tourists, then back by coach to the ship A very pleasant Moroccan supper followed by, an Egyptian band with audience participation which we left, not wishing to participate. Some of our fellow guests really enjoyed it though. Horses for courses and all that.
Tuesday 23rd April. Valley of the Kings and Luxor
Early wake up call at 5:30 am and then breakfast before boarding the coach at 6:30 am. Then a 25 minute drive to the Valley of the Kings. Here we had an area ticket which entitled us to enter three of the tombs that were open that day. There were also other tombs where one could buy an extra admission and we went in one of these as well: this was well worth while at just £3 each. Movement was so much easier in the one we paid for, while in the general ticket tombs there were queues and little opportunity to stop and wonder
It was an incredibly hot day, temperatures reaching over 40° but there was a pleasant wind in the valley. After entering these four tombs we drove to the funerary Temple of Hatshepsut, Which we also remember from our previous visits. This was the site where 52 tourists had been massacred in November 1997. At both of these sites little electric golf carts transported us from car park to temple.
Our last call of the morning was to a linen weaving complex, which was a bit of a con as the products they were selling no way could have been made on site. And none of them had any prices on and turned out to be quite expensive in our view.
We were back aboard for lunch by 12:30 and went out again at 2 pm . First to do the Karnak complex which is a largest temple complex in Egypt and truly takes one‘s breath away. We spent two hours there before moving to the smaller Luxor complex, where we just had an hour. The avenue of the Sphinx which join the two temple complexes was great fun, with over 1000 of these sphinxes.
Then on to the Winter Palace Hotel for a cocktail, The cocktails were wondrous. We had them served in the hotel's Victoria Lounge. It was a bit drab, so we took our drinks out onto the terrace which was a much better place to enjoy them
Back aboard at 6:30 pm. Chris had a swim and then a shower before dinner with Aurial, Keith and Jenny.
Wednesday 24th April . Dendra
Our boat had started sailing about 4 am in order to reach the mooring point for Dendra Temple by 8 am.
We boarded the coach after breakfast at 8:30 am and it was about 20 minutes to the Dendra temple. This temple had some fantastic ceilings that contained the signs of the zodiac and it also images of Cleopatra, the only temple in Egypt to possess these. We spent almost 2 hours there. Being early, it was not too hot.
When we went up on deck after returning, around 11.30 . And found that we were just about to pass under a low bridge. The had to lower the funnel and all the shade structures on the upper deck. We were told to sit down quick and were able to photograph the crew touching the bridge as we went under it. After this, it was fascinating to see the funnel being pulled back upright with a pulley system.
We went into the ships shop and David purchased an Egyptian shirt and headdress ready for the party on the following day. Chris had the Saudi abaya which had come with us.
Lunch was at 12.30. An Indian buffet but there was a very pleasant spaghetti that was not spicy and then had a siesta before going up on deck around 15.00 to try to access the Internet, but without success. Chris had a swim at this time.
We docked in a town Haga Hammady, where the buildings were not very picturesque, at 5 pm. Rules seem to dictate that we have to moor at approved locations
We had a film on Abydos temple which we are about to visit tomorrow. It was a very interesting but strange tale about the life of a seemingly normal English lady called "Omm Seti" who believed she had lived at the Abydos Temple 3000 years ago. She first moved to Egypt age 28 and married an Egyptian and had a son called Citi (after the pharaoh). After she divorced her husband she moved to this temple permanently at the age of 45. She then worked as a skilled assistant at the temple site. She was eventually in charge of it until retirement. The film was made around 1980 and she died 1981.
After this we went up on deck and had a sundowner with, Nigel and Jill. Dinner was a barbecue on the open part of deck floor the food quite acceptable.
Thursday 25th April . Abydos Temple
Moving northwards on the Nile to reach the temple of Abydos. We woke up early at 6 pm and went up on deck for an hour before breakfast. This included Chris having a swim. Then breakfast after nine and onto the coach at 10 for a 15 minute drive to the Abydos Temple. It was not as splendid as the one we visited the previous day. We were back on the ship at 1:30 for a British buffet lunch:: the roast beef was brisket and a bit iffy but the battered fish (and chips) was excellent.
We then read in the cabin and Chris had a short siesta before going up on deck for two hours, a swim soon after six. We then came down to prepare ourselves in our Egyptian and Saudi Arabian clothes for the Egyptian evening.
At seven there was a so-called crew show. This turned out just to be the crew dancing with the passengers, not our cup of tea, so we left and took our bears up on deck. The Egyptian buffet dinner had turkey as its main dish. There was then a quiz that we declined to go to this and went back on deck enjoying the balmy evening before turning in.
Egyptian summer time started during the night so we lost an hour sleep.
Friday 26 April. Abydos to Amarna
A dull blustery day for our only "sea day", a day without any stops It was somewhat disappointing for Chris as she had looked forward to a leisurely day by the pool, but the wind made swimming not very enjoyable.
Then we had a lecture at 10 am by Amr on modern Egypt which was not very inspiring - a sort of state controlled propaganda talk. This was followed by going through a lock in a force eight gale. Chris then lay down in the cabin as she had coughed most of the previous night, and had not slept well. Lunch was not until 1:30 pm for some unknown reason and we had to eat it quickly to be up on deck again to see a spectacular monastery in the sandstone cliffs that dominated the eastern bank of the Nile - Saint Theodore Coptic Orthodox Church. We passed about 2 pm and apparently no visitors are allowed here, so we could not visit it
Then we sat on the back deck until the showing of a film at 5 pm on Akhanaten, whose temple and his "new" and short lived, city of Amarna we will visit tomorrow. Then back for another snooze before a barbecue at 7:30 pm that we really enjoyed, chatting to Peter and Eileen and Carol and Charles and early night as we have to be up by 5:30 am tomorrow.
Saturday 27th April.. Amarna
We left the ship at 6: 30 after an early breakfast . Security was ramped up here, and we went to.Ashmunein with a full police escort of three cars and a motorcycle outrider.
We stopped at Ashmunein to inspect two very large Statues of baboons which were Roman. and also saw the layout of the old town ..
Next we had stopped at Tuna el Gebel which was the series of underground catacombs where apparently several; millions jars of ibises and baboons had been mummified. This was the most spectacular part of the visit and one we will remember. There were literally miles of streets underground filled with jars of mummified animals in them.
Then on to the city of Amarna, starting at the northern tombs. There was a fairly demanding climb up a steep cliff path to the three tombs that we visited. From here, on to the Royal tomb which had been damaged by floods in the 1990s but apparently it has also been damaged well before this period,
And we ended up with a photo stop at the temple of Amarna , where very little remained. What the bears call "old stones",
Back at the boat soon after 2 pm, Chris enjoyed a swim and we sunbathed on a windy upper deck. Then afternoon tea on the lower deck where it was slightly less windy. About 18.00 we moored at Minya and enjoyed cup of coffee on the back deck. A vegetarian buffet supper where some of the waiters were new and somewhat inefficient. There was a folklore show with whirling dervishes , which we watched for 10 minutes or so, but it was once again an audience participation dance so we left without seeing the whirling dervish perform but we did get a picture of him.
Sunday 28th April.. Beni Hassan and Beni Suef
We started at 7 A.m. after breakfast and had a 45 minute drive to the site of the tombs of Beni Hassan. Here we had to climb some 250 steps, but they were not too difficult, in order to reach the tombs. We entered four of these and they were really magnificent in the pictures they contained. Chris was able to follow quite well with her binoculars making out people actions, dogs, donkeys etcetera . We retraced our route back down the steps. Several of the group had decided against the climb and waited in the cafe at the bottom.. Here we joined them for a Pepsi (only thing on offer) at the cafe before we set off back to the ship
En route deviated to view a new city that was being built. Apparently people were very anxious to move there but how many could afford the prices of the new flat? We were not certain. The Egyptian Government is building several of these new cities in the desert. It is odd to see them, as it really is desert, and one wonders how they get employment here.
Back on board David bought a blue polo shirt with his name in hieroglyphics on it, and .Chris bought a silver ring and matching bracelet of the winged god Osiris. Then a non-buffet lunch which was billed as a served lunch of traditional Egyptian food. But turned out to be a buffet lunch with the buffet was on each table of six rather than in the centre . Chris realised that it might be the excessive use of garlic that was causing her sore throat every time she laid down to sleep, and decided to try to avoid garlic - which is difficult to do in Egypt.
After lunch, Chris had a swim and then we sat on the back deck until 4 pm when there was a tour of the kitchen and the engine room. The kitchen was a kitchen, but the engine room was interesting as the old steam boilers still power the ship, clattering noisily away
Then a mango juice back out on the back deck at 6 pm. After a shower we had a coffee on the back deck, as the Sun descended. Dinner was also non-buffet but unfortunately the fish was again cooked too early and compleely dried out, but the rest of it was quite acceptable.
After dinner, at 8:45 pm. we were taken out, with a heavy police escort, for a walk along the promenade, It was quite exhilarating once we reached the wondrous fountain area:. The fountains, lit by multi coloured lights, danced to the music playing from loudspeakers. Much better than the cruise show.
Monday 30 April . Meidum
We left the ship at 7 am for an hours drive to the Meidum Pyramid. This is a step pyramid and one of the earliest constructed. Pyramid building was something that the ancient Egyptians had to learn empirically. These earlier attempts ended up as odd shapes , as they realised that too heavy a structure was destroying the base with the pyramid's weight pressing down on the foundations. Hence differt angles at the top and the bottom, rather than a pure geomettic shape that later followed
Our journey into the interior of this pyramid was quite something. We climbed up to the entrance, and then down 56 meter steep sloping corridor which led downwards by about 10 metres vertically to the centre of the pyramid. From there we went 7 metres upwards vertically on ladders, to reach the burial chamber where the sarcophagus of the pharaoh had been. This was the most adventurous of all the trips we had undertaken during our holiday. Coming down with certainly a challenge on the stepladders. But, no pain, no gain, and the effort was worth it.
We had just 90 minutes there and then returned to the ship. Along the way, viewing from a distance the huge greenhouses that Egypt had constructed. Although the greenhouses are not needed to conserve heat, they are used because they conserve water, and need only 20% of what would be used by the same plants outdoors
Once back aboard, we had a briefing at 12 which went on and on about tips and appraisal forms before telling us what we actually wanted to know which was what time we were going to be picked up from the ship. We were delighted to find this was 00:30 am and not earlier, for our 03.30 flight to Munich.
Then after an Asian lunch, the first session of the packing, a swim and then reading on the back deck before Chris's siesta leading up to tea at 5 pm. At 5:30 pm there was a film on how they had saved Egypt's oldest pyramid. Overdramatic as always in such documentaries. But none the less interesting to see how they strengthened the burial chamber with stainless steel rods.
We continued to sit on the back deck, before we docked on the outskirts of Cairo. We then had a coffee and a beer on our balcony, which by this time, was overlooked by a very modern ferry which reached to just below the level of our balcony. Then a barbecue on deck, where we soaked up the delights of the Nile.
Tuesday30th of April. Cairo.
We were off by 7 am to visit the pyramids of Giza before the crowds got there, Indeed, we were the second coach to arrive, out of the hundreds that arrived later. It was all very familiar from our visits in 2007 and 2012, and just as impressive. We had about an hour there, walking around the largest pyramid and then viewing the second one after the coach had moved a little. As we had been into the interior of the Great Pyramid before, we did not go again, but a few of the group did venture inside the pyramid
After this we moved on to the Sphinx and spent an hour there. When we had finished this at 11 am, we had half an hour in the Papyrus House where they showed us, how papyrus was made and then tried to sell us various pictures. Very much a tourist buy stop, but interesting. We had been there on a previous visit to Cairo
Then on to the Marriott Mina Hotel for lunch. This was right beside the pyramids and it’s position seemed very similar to the Marriott hotel where we had overnighted in 2007 - later inspection of our photos from 2007 showed that it was indeed the same hotel. where stayed when on the Star Flyer from Phuket to Athens with a memorable Egyptologist who escorted us round Saint Catherine’s monastery and Cairo. The lunch here was really good and of a much higher quality than on the ship.
After lunch we went on to the really tired Egyptian Museum in the centre of Cairo. A new museum has been in the offing for the last decade but is still not open. However some of the contents of the old museum have already been taken there, leading to many gaps in the displays available to us. . The treasures of tomb of Tut were are stunning as ever and Amr pointed out several other masterpieces from Antiquity. But the rest of the museum was a dusty disgrace with so many objects not even labeled.
Back on the ship by 5 pm, Chris finished the packing and we went down to listen to a singer in the lounge. This was followed by the managers cocktail party where a decent piña colada was to be had. Then dinner and bed by 8:30 pm as we had to be up again at midnight for our 3:30 am flight to Valencia via Munich: When we booked it, the flight had been at the reasonable hour of 10 am but had been changed by Lufthansa to this ungodly hour. Anyway we managed a few hours sleep in bed, before the alarm went off. The representative of Jules Verne in Cairo accompanied us to the airport and got us through the chaos there. Once through the petit burocracies of security and passports, we went into the business lounge which might have graced a 1940s airport. The flight itself was fairly uneventful and we got at least two hours sleep during the 4 1/2 hours it took to reach Munich.
Wednesday, May 1
The breakfast was really good on Lufthansa. We landed in Munich by 7 am and then had a nightmare passage through security, where they seem to be working to rule and ewent through veryone’s possessions. It took took ages to move cases a couple of yards through their machine. Also there was a high-tech x-ray machine for people but they still gave us a good patting down. Then a really long walk and train journey to the departure area for Valencia by which time we had a mere 15 minutes available to spend in the business lounge, this one was perfectly respectable though. The time was just long enough to enjoy a cup of coffee and a croissant Then a second pleasant breakfast on the 2 1/2 hour flight to Valencia all this in business class for a lesser price than economy class would’ve cost had we travelled via Madrid.. And we received a glass of champagne before we left the flight, which was a really nice gesture. But our experience of Munich airport was certainly not good
Back in Moraira by 2 pm but all the supermarkets were shut because it was May Day holiday. So it was a limited diet for the rest of the day. We discovered three super books that we had on the Nile and the pyramids and had not read for many long years.
It was a really interesting holiday, even if many aspects were not perfect, especially the Wi-Fi for Chris.