Right : Markets in Cairo overflow with local wares — from hookahs to baskets and spices .
John ’ s leisurely , seven-night Nile River cruise aboard the Nefertiti was a highlight of his trip .
Just a quarter-mile down a winding road , however , it ’ s a different story . One doesn ’ t see Abu Simbel from afar , or all at once . A strategically organized rock formation blocks your view as you make the short downhill trek , so that by the time you round the bend , the money shot fades into view like a developing Polaroid , and the wonder accumulates as we take it all in . Rising 66 feet in height , three preserved carvings of King Ramesses II , the most celebrated pharaoh in ancient Egyptian history , sit on thrones like eternal sentinels . They dwarf the relatively smaller figures at their feet — representations of some of the king ’ s daughters , of which he
fathered 67 — along with even smaller sculptures of falcons symbolizing the Egyptian god Horus .
Inside the temple , the views are no less extraordinary . Incense wafts from the entrance and sparrows flutter among the pillars , as visitors explore the dimly lit catacombs , a sprawling arrangement of chambers within chambers . From the decorated columns to the bas-reliefs , no inch of wall space is unused , the artwork depicting offerings to the gods , memorializing Ramesses II ’ s heroic battles or telling stories with arcane hieroglyphs : in short , a complete panorama of life , love , faith , and conflict , each scene chiseled with precise intention and relentless piety .
We had risen before 5 a . m . and ridden four hours by bus to get to Abu Simbel , a once-ina-lifetime opportunity worth every wink of sacrificed sleep . We had been in Egypt seven days , and seven more awaited us .
This fortnight into the ruins of the ancient world and the heart of the Nile River was produced by Overseas Adventure Travel
Right : Cairo is a bustling metropolis with over 22 million residents .
14 DISPATCHES • JUNE 2023