EGYPT

Location - Middle East/North Africa; Capital - Cairo; Population - 99 million; Currency - Egypt Pound MORE EGYPT

We headed upstream from Luxor to Aswan, stopping off along the way and overnighting at Edfu - January 2020.

The Sphinx on the 100 Egyptian Pound note

This was the first time the boat was on the move, heading up the River Nile at a leisurely pace via the Esna locks to Edfu - Luxor to Edfu

Egyptian vendors are the ultimate salesmen, and they never miss a trick. These guys hook ropes on to our boat, steer close enough to gain our attention then display what's on offer, mainly traditional clothes. Fancy trying it on? No problem! A plastic bag is hurled to the sundeck, and money does likewise - Luxor to Edfu

We passed through the Esna locks after midnight and woke up docked at Edfu

Early morning activity was brusk, with horse & carriages racing to pick up passengers - Edfu

The main attraction at Edfu is the Temple of Horus, but our boat headed off towards Kom Ombo during breakfast

..but some of the cruise ships paid a visit, and the horse-drawn carriages made the most of it - Edfu

From Edfu we continued upstream, passing rural Nile life - Edfu to Kom Ombo

A freight train heads north to Luxor/Cairo - Edfu to Kom Ombo

There's not a huge number of Nile bridges; here a cross-river ferry links east to west banks - Edfu to Kom Ombo

A serene picture of rural life. The River Nile and the Nile delta are Egypt's life support machine, and an absolute necessity for the country's rapidly increasing population - Edfu to Kom Ombo

More fishing, as seen through the blue-tinge of my cabin window - Edfu to Kom Ombo

Our boat arrives in what I thought was the relatively small town of Kom Ombo, however it has a population of over 330,000

The Temple of Kom Ombo is the main draw, built around the 1st/2nd century BC - Kom Ombo

This section of the temple is known as a relief of surgical instruments, consisting of various implements which may have had medical uses - Kom Ombo

With the same ticket take a look at the Crocodile Museum where mummified crocodiles are on display. These creatures were commonplace at the time, and apparently are trying to make a comeback - Kom Ombo

A felucca at dusk, as we continue to Aswan - Kom Ombo

We arrived in Aswan around 21:00, passing a mosque as we dock in the north of town

I like this mural, of famous Egyptians or local celebrities? - Aswan

A distant view of the Coptic Orthodox Cathedral of the Archangel Michael. There's a sizeable Christian population in Egypt, indeed most of the staff I spoke to on board the MS Emilio were Christian - Aswan

After some years of instability following the Arab Spring you'll come across tanks and military across the country - Aswan

Sofitel's Old Cataract Hotel is another historic hotel, made famous by Agatha Christie, who (probably) wrote some of her Poirot novel Death on the Nile here - Aswan

For non-residents it's a minimum of LE300 (in 2020) to have a drink at the hotel - Aswan

You're rewarded with some great views of the Nile cataracts below - Aswan

It's a lovely place to have a drink, but it's mighty expensive for just one cocktail. With service charge, I think the bill was the equivalent of $21. Ouch! - Aswan

The domed tomb of Qubbet al Hawa stands above the River Nile - Aswan

This section of the Old Cataract Hotel is Agatha Christie's library - Aswan

If you don't fancy paying silly money for a drink at the Old Cataract Hotel then just head for the nearby Ferial Gardens, a public park with even better views - Aswan

And all for only LE10 admission! It's very popular with families and locals - Aswan

There's several islands around Aswan, and this one with the weird watchtower is Elephantine Island - Aswan

Walking down to the Nile Corniche in search of a boat to Elephantine Island - Aswan

That watchtower is a bar-restaurant belonging to the Movenpick Resort Aswan - Aswan

LE0.50 to cross the Nile to Elephantine Island, local style of course - Aswan

Crossing the Nile, and that looks like the same mosque we passed on our first evening - Aswan

Elephantine Island feels far more local and rustic - Aswan

..but there's plenty of colourful murals to brighten the place up, along with several backpacker hostels - Aswan

A sleepy cat stands guard (lies down asleep?) - Aswan

Street art on Elephantine Island - Aswan

Goats take a wander - Aswan

The view from Elephantine Island's jetty, with the cathedral in the background, middle-right - Aswan

I think this mural was in a government building or education centre - Aswan

The sun sets behind the West Bank's Tombs of the Nobles - Aswan

The hillside is pockmarked with the Tombs of the Nobles, comprising the burial chambers of officials, governors, priests and workers - Aswan

After my independent stuff, we had a group tour of sights around Aswan, including the Aswan High Dam, 13km south of Aswan. It opened in 1970, providing hydroelectricity for the country as well as a system of water storage, creating Lake Nasser on the left

On the other side of the dam flows the River Nile - Aswan

Heading past a parade of souvenir sellers to the jetty at Shellal, for the boat to Philae

Our group head for Philae

You'll find the cruise demographic rather elderly but it was a great bunch, whereas the all-inclusive Hurghada hotels also have many families. The MS Emilio cruise had two groups, one British the other German, and had their separate guides in their own language. Usual set excursions include visits to Luxor & Karnak temples, Hatshepsut & Valley of the Kings, Kom Ombo, Aswan High Dam, Philae, Nile felucca ride and Esna. Abu Simbel is extra.

I prefer doing things independently but the two-week package including flights was too good to pass by, and the excursions are pretty much a necessity if you want to see the sights and get back to the cruise boat on time - Philae

It's a quick 10-15min ride to the island of Philae

The island is famous for the Temple of Isis - Philae

The temple was moved here during the 1970s as the High Dam flooded its original location - Philae

The Temple of Isis was built in the 7th century BC, honouring the goddess Isis - Philae

Might not look it here but the tourist scrum at Philae is a bit silly, with groups competing for space

Our informative and helpful guide Ehab at the Inner Sanctuary of Isis - Philae

Reliefs and hieroglyphics in the Inner Sanctuary of Isis - Philae

I was told that Cleopatra left her mark somewhere but couldn't find her, not helped when there's been seven of them. What you can see here is a Christian cross, at a time when the temple was used as a church - Philae

Also carved into the temple walls is a memorial to what I believe to be British soldiers killed in Sudan in 1884-85 - Philae

Fantastic Nile scenery from the temple - Philae

A demonstration of creating glass blown perfume bottles. Perfume and massage oils are a big thing in Egypt - Aswan

..which eventually end up looking like this - Aswan

The final stop on the morning tour was a felucca trip on the Nile - Aswan

Entrepreneurial boys paddle out to 'serenade' boats with bad renditions of Frere Jacques and the like - Aswan

Our captain guides us past the Old Cataract Hotel - Aswan

The river around Aswan is dotted with small islands which makes the area very picturesque

Next to these boats is a rock resembling an elephant, though it depends what angle you're looking from! - Aswan

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LINKS

www.egypt.travel - Egypt tourist board

https://enr.gov.eg - Egyptian rail

https://go-bus.com - Go Bus are a reputable private bus company, bookable online

www.touregypt.net

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