Kom Ombo Temple

December 4, 2012December 4, 2012

Driving from Luxor to Aswan – Part 2

After driving for about two and a half hours we reached Kom Ombo Temple. Normally when you visit Kom Ombo you do so after sailing down the Nile until you reach the Temple and you disembark and approach the Temple by foot. On previous occasions we reached Kom Ombo in the early evening and made the visit just as the sun was going down. As the Temple is beautifully lit it’s a breathtaking site as you look at it from your ship. You then walk through the streets, climbing gently upwards until you reach the Temple entrance.

On this occasion, because we were coming in from the road rather than the river we came to the Temple from the rear, parked and then walked around to the entrance. It was at that point that we recognised where we were as we saw the view down over the streets to the river bank where our Nile cruise ship would have berthed.

It was around 12 noon when we entered the Temple and it was very quiet, which gave us the opportunity to take our time and we could really enjoy Emad’s knowledgable descriptions of the architecture of the Temple, the meanings of the wonderful hieroglyphics and the story behind the original construction of the Temple.

It truly is a breathtaking place and it’s hard, as always in Egypt, to try and envisage just how the Ancient Egyptians could physically construct such massive building with the tools that they had at the time.

Since our last visit the Temple authorities have opened up the Crocodile Museum, which explains the relevance and importance of the crocodile in the history of the Temple. It’s very much a state of the art feature and adds even more to the enjoyment ofÂ a visit to Kom Ombo.

If you are taking a Nile cruise I really think you will find Kom Ombo Temple one of the highlights of your trip.

From Kom Ombo we then drove the relatively short distance to Aswan where we were to stay at the Movenpick Aswan Hotel. Continue reading “Driving from Luxor to Aswan – Part 2”

December 3, 2012December 3, 2012

Driving from Luxor to Aswan

Day three of our trip involved us driving by road from Luxor to the beautiful city of Aswan (or Asswan as its’ correctly spelt). Barbara and I have visited Aswan on a number of occasions but each time we have arrived by Nile cruise ship. As we’ve sailed down the Nile to Aswan we’ve seen the road that seems to follow the river and often wondered what the drive would be like.

We’ve also seen the railway track that at certain points seems to hug the river too. As we’ve sailed we’ve watched the farmers tending their fields as well as the people who’s settlements and houses are perched right on the river bank. Driving down gave us the opportunity to see what was on the other side of the bank and drive through the various small towns on the way to Aswan.

In total the drive took us about two and a half to three hours but our driver wasn’t’ rushing and often we found ourselves caught up in reasonably busy traffic. So I imagine we could have arrived in Aswan more quickly but we weren’t’ in a rush.

What was really noticeable was the intense greenery of the fields and farms between the road and the Nile and the almost complete desert conditions of the land on the other side of the road. According to conversations we had on the drive the majority of Egypt’s citizens live either on the edges of the Nile or in Cairo. From the lush greenery of the land beside the Nile you can see why. For mile after mile we passed field after field of banana trees, corn, cabbages and other root vegetables being tended by farmers and workers who seemed oblivious to the almost 30 degree heat. Continue reading “Driving from Luxor to Aswan”

April 12, 2012May 3, 2012

Continuing our series of short articles about the sites and temples you’ll visit on your Nile Cruise here’s a short description of Kom Ombo Temple.

Kom Ombo Temple celebrates two different gods. It’s situated some 28 miles north of Aswan on a bend on the River Nile and was a favourite basking spot for crocodiles in times gone by. So it’s understandable that half of the temple complex is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. Continue reading “Kom Ombo Temple”