October 17

Good breakfast on the boat. Docked at 9:30 at Kom Ombo, where we are given a private tour by Magdi. Temple is actually two temples, one to the falcon-headed sky god, Haroeries, adjoined by a temple to the crocodile god, Sobek. The temple is very manageable in size, and so great to see. Magdi tells us about the creation of a very accurate calendar, using a ten-day week and the medical accomplishments at the time, around 300 BC. Though built during the Greek time, it is an Egyptian temple, because Alexander the Great wisely allowed the Egyptians to preserve their religion, unlike the Persian/Iranians before them. He is able to point to specific carvings to describe what they are in contrast to our wandering through Abu Simbel, guessing or not knowing exactly what we were seeing.


After about an hour, we return to the boat by 10:30, escaping any extreme heat. We continue our cruise and, at our request, Magdi tells us about modern Egyptian politics, commencing in about 1882, when the British occupied Egypt. In the early 1900s, they built the lower Aswan dam, which had only limited capacity, despite bring added to a couple times. When Egypt sought funds form the World Bank, the US blocked it, fearing that Egypt would use funds to buy arms from Russia. Though Russia promised to lend money to Egypt for the dam, funds were not forthcoming. This led to Egypt taking control of the Suez Canal to get money, and to war with England, France and Israel.


Farouk was overthrown by five military leaders, including Nasser and Sadat. After a figurehead military president, Nasser became the first real president of Egypt. Israel invaded Sinai in 1967, and the Yom Kippur War took place in 1973. Sadat followed Nasser as president and was reviled by most of the Arab world for making peace with Israel, for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Mubarak succeeded Sadat and has held office for 29 years. Corruption is a huge problem, but Mubarak keeps getting elected as the devil that is known. Magdi thinks that his son may succeed him.


Time to relax before lunch, highlight of which was a Diet 7-Up, served with a glass and a small decanter into which the overflow from the 7-Up can is poured. You gotta love that.


We are picked up by car for a 3PM visit tom the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the best-preserved of the Egyptian temples, because it was buried under the sand. Very impressive facade and carvings. Again, because of the heat, our visit is shorter than it would be. Many of the ruins we've seen so far date "only" to about 300 BC. That's going to change, big time, though, tomorrow.


Back to the boat to rest and shower. Dinner is on deck, where a very welcome cool breeze makes it very pleasant . The boat is excellent and, with only twenty or so passengers, very spacious. The food and service are all great, and the thought that we're cruising the frigging NILE is pretty amazing. Finally able to access my blog, so posted a bunch of days worth.