Abu Simbel's Imposing Welcome

Today was a little expensive on the old pocketbook.  This 4-hour optional excursion to visit Abu Simbel was offered at the beginning of our Trafalgar tour.  It was the ONLY excursion that was recommended as "must do" by our tour director.  We didn't even know what Abu Simbel was.....but, as it turned out, it was totally worth it!

This excursion was described as a lifetime chance to visit the mighty temples of Abu Simbel, which is comprised of two massive rock-cut temples carved out of the mountainside.  Do you see it?  I am glad I was paying attention out the window of the airplane right before we landed.  This picture pretty much is how we were greeted upon arrival at Abu Simbel.  If you look closely you can see this UNESCO World Heritage Site standing guard over the vast blue Lake Nasser.

The reason this excursion was a bit costly was due to the fact that we had to fly to Abu Simbel from Aswan instead of driving.  We covered the 280km in 45 minutes by plane vs. a long 4 hour bus ride through the Sahara Desert (and that's only one way!).  Our early morning flight allowed us to spend two hours visiting this ancient masterpiece before hopping on the next flight back to Aswan.....and then spending the afternoon in flight back to Cairo!

What is that?  THAT is the Great Temple of Ramses II directly behind us in the photo.  Not impressed?  Just wait...

Of course, if you stand right in front of the entrance.....THIS is the actual size of the place!  Each of those statues of King Ramses are 70 feet tall.  Now, that's impressive!

When you stand in front of the temple, and when you go inside of it, it is hard to imagine that the entire complex once sat at a different location.  With the construction of the Aswan High Dam, rising water levels threatened to flood the temples of Abu Simbel. In the 1960’s, the entire complex was dismantled, moved to higher ground, and completely reconstructed inside an artificial hill made from a domed structure. It took the combined effort of over 50 countries and 5 years of work to save the temples.

In addition to the main temple, Abu Simbel has a smaller temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari, the beloved and favorite wife of Ramesses II (he only had eight wives).  Seeing both of these temples side-by-side is quite breath-taking.....or maybe it's just so hot that I'm gasping for air!

It sure wasn't easy trying to squeeze us into a photo that had both of the temples behind us, but we did it!  King Leonard and Queen Jenesa at Abu Simbel 2025!

The interior of the Great Temple includes a lofty ceiling, while the imposing height of the square pillars and colossal statues contribute to render the interior of this temple no less admirable than its splendid exterior.  The walls are decorated with reliefs showing the Battle of Kadesh and other military campaigns.

The temple's original design ensured that on October 22 and February 22 each year, the sun's rays  would penetrate the inner sanctuary to illuminate the statues of the deities and the deified Ramses II.  This alignment was likely chosen to coincide with Ramses II's birthday and coronation....and, is a testament to the advanced architectural and astronomical knowledge of the ancient Egyptians.