Egypt, Aswan, The Temple of Philae, That Unavoidable Unfinished Obelisk.

The Temple of Philae is another rescue project by UNESCO as it too was threatened by rising water from the Low Dam, the original Aswan Dam built by the British and raised more than once to contain the Nile floods and provide water and power. To reach it involves a boat trip and from the outset this seemed problematic as the boat would not start as there was a problem with a fuel pipe...

 Once again I noted that there were many boats moored and apparently unused, my guide says this is down to the reduction in tourism over the preceding years.

The temple, dedicated it seems to various gods and said to be the burial place of Osiris, is worth a visit in its new location. And there is an excellent coffee shop on the site!

Philae is a nice little site with several interesting parts to it, not least its history as a commercial centre. The priests tried to keep it exclusive and indeed raised a petition to Ptolemy VIII to stop public dignitaries going there and using at as a free hotel.

The petition was carved on to an obelisk which was ''acquired'' by the explorer William Bankes, along with its broken ''twin, and transported to England where it remains today.

Other parts of the building have also been removed and are now in The Louvre, and also in Florence.....

As with many sites in Egypt the Christians took it over and as was their custom obliterated some of the heads of the heads of the Egyptian gods.

Left is the Christian altar....

Leaving Philae, more boat problems meant we had to be towed back by another passing vessel...

I had hoped to avoid the dreaded Unfinished Obelisk but it was not be although I suppose the guide was quite right when he said I had to see it as it was an excellent example of how and obelisk was made. By cutting it from a solid piece of rock, except this one cracked before they could finish it.....






 This is my last day in Aswan, so returning to my hotel to pick up my luggage I head to the station for the overnight sleeper train to Cairo.

Arriving at Aswan station I am amazed at the transformation since I arrived!

What was a building site is now an impressive modern station, with nice paving, signage, and various other niceties, but it seems no toilets! Two men are busily cleaning a carriage but seem to have missed all the corners of the windows... And all this because the President is making an official visit...

 The railways are well used in Egypt and while I wait for my train two men pass me on the platform carrying a fridge which is stowed into the luggage van of the train going to Luxor, followed by people with various packages and boxes...

When my train finally arrives I board, preceded by my luggage in the capable hands of a porter who appears out of 

nowhere!

The train journey back to Cairo is surprisingly comfortable with a very pleasant steward who serves me my pre-ordered dinner and then asks if he can sit and talk with me. But of course he can, I have all the time in the world. It turns out that he has a degree in 
Mechanical Engineering, which should be useful if the train breaks down.