Viking RA - Day 5

 

ASWAN HIGH DAM

There are two dams in Aswan, the Low Dam built around 1900 and the high dam built around 1960. We drove across the Low Dam to visit the Aswan High Dam, an earthen dam built across the Nile in Aswan, Egypt. Before the High Dam was built, even with the old low dam in place, the annual flooding of the Nile during late summer had continued to pass largely unimpeded down the valley. The High Dam resolved the flooding problem and established the 300 mile long Lake Nasser.

The Aswan High Dam is 13,000 ft. long, 3,220 ft. wide at the base, 130 ft. wide at the crest and 364 ft. tall.

 

Egyptian-Russian Friendship Monument

The Egyptian-Russian Friendship Monument is located at the Aswan High Dam. This 230 foot tower was designed by Soviet sculptor Ernst Neizvestny and commemorates Soviet help in the construction of the Aswan High Dam. 

Also known as the Lotus Flower Tower.

 

ASWAN SPICE MARKET

Pottery, textile, and spice shops line the narrow pedestrian street.

Many hard to find spices were available at rock bottom prices.

 

 All prices are negotiated. The shopkeeper started at $35 USD, Virginia started at $3.50 USD. He drove a hard bargain, finally settling on $10 USD.

While we shopped, Ahmed stopped at a smoke shop.

The smoke shop had many fancy pipes.

 

FELUCCA SAILBOAT RIDE BACK TO THE VIKING RA

A felucca is a traditional wooden sailing boat used in Egypt and Sudan. Its rig consists of one or two lateen sails. They usually carry up to ten passengers.

The crew consisted of three people.

McDonalds are everywhere, even along the Nile River.

 

TEMPLE OF PHILAE EVENING SOUND AND LIGHT SHOW

Before dinner the bus took us on an optional evening tour to the Temple of Philae. We boarded a river taxi to take us to an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam, downstream of the Aswan High Dam and Lake Nasser, Egypt. The evening Sound and Light show told tales of ancient Egypt and the legend of the Egyptian gods Isis and Osiris.

The Temple was dedicated to the goddess Isis, the wife of Osiris and mother of Horus.

The lighting added to the beauty of the temple.

The kitchen staff held dinner until 8:30 pm for those returning from this optional tour. We returned the next morning for an included daytime tour of this Temple.