WRITTEN IN STONE
A two-week pilgrimage brings ancient Egypt to visitors ’ fingertips
By John Thomason
W ay down in the southern terminus of Egypt , under a cloudless sky just north of the Sudanese border , the vibe is Disney-in-the-desert . We ’ re here to see the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Abu Simbel , an enormous temple completed in the 13th century B . C . Yet to get there , we must traverse a restaurant and bazaar where visitors lounge under beach umbrellas , everything ’ s in English , and the soundtrack throbs with “ We Are the Champions ” and “ Dance Monkey .” Nothing is too sacred for commerce .
12 DISPATCHES • JUNE 2023