In the spirit of the sun god ra, we watched the early morning sunrise over the Eastern side of the Nile. A healthy breakfast followed before we set out to explore the sand stone quarries of Gebel al Silsila along the narrows of the river.
For millennia this quarry provided sand stone blocks to build temples far and wide from Abu Simbel in the south to Luxor and Dendera in the middle, as well as the fantastic and well preserved Horus Temple in Edfu.
This amazingly educational stop is not on regular Nile cruise itineraries, only small felucca based vessels can stop here. Quarries left behind, after a quick beach cleanup program to eliminate trash for future generations, we cruised on to the town of Edfu for a visit to the amazing temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus.
This Ptolemaic temple, built between 237 and 57 BC, is one of the best-preserved ancient monuments in Egypt. Preserved by desert sand, which filled the palace after the pagan cult was banned by the last pharaohs, the temple is dedicated to Horus, the avenging son of Isis and Osiris. With its roof intact, it is also one of the most atmospheric of ancient buildings. Truly amazing to witness this temple in what amounted to a private tour as we were among the very few visitors late in the afternoon.
In addition to tge amazing temple, there was the caleche (horse carriage ride) to and from the temple that brought the city and it’s inhabitants to life. Enjoy the video and picture of our ride.
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