SAILING ON LAKE NASSER

Day 9 Lake Nasser, 

We sailed away at 0600 and the Captain placed our ship in a very nice location for sunrise and viewing the Temple. Not as many folks took advantage of this event but the sunrise was nice and the golden hour was great. 

At 1030 we had a safety drill much different from any we have ever experienced with the exception of checking our stateroom off the list. 

The morning was spent calmly sailing Lake Nasser.  Where we made a stop alongside Kasr Ibrim. This is an archaeological site here in Lower Nubia. Here a major city was perched upon a cliff above the Nile. This is a site which survived the flooding of the Nile and the site was transformed into an island with the building of the High Dam. It was at this site many documents in the old Nubian language were discovered. 

After lunch we went ashore and visited the Amada Temple which is the oldest temple in Nubia, constructed by King Thutmose III, and dedicated to Amman Re- Horakhty. 

Next we walked to the Temple of Derr, the contra temple of Abu Simbel,  built by Ramses II in Lower Nubia. This is the only rock cut temple in Nubia which was constructed on the East Bank of the Nile. At Abu Simbel the inner sanctum is illuminated on February 21 and October 21 as the sun rises. As the contra temple the inner sanctum is illuminated as the sun sets. 

Back to the boat for tea and watch a video on the moving of Abu Simbel. 

Sailing past Abu Simbel 

They tested the fire hoses during our safety drill. 

There are just severn (7) passenger ships operating on Lake Nasser. Given the location of Lake Nasser these ships are built in Aswan above the High Dam.