Very early in the morning the cruise ship left Luxor to sail to Edfu. When we woke up, the boat was moored in the middle of the Nile by Esna, waiting its turn to travel through the Edfu/Esna lock.
It was a beautiful morning - full of that khaki haze that we had all come to know and love - mornings here in NJ are often misty - in Egypt they wouldn't know mist if it bit them but dust? Dust they've got down pat. My mother in law related the following story about her morning over breakfast.
She woke up, feeling vibrant and joyful and alive, and stretched briefly. (In my mind, I overlaid this with that pastoral soundtrack that every Disney movie plays when the heroine wakes up and the sun rises...you know the one I mean. All "doo doo doo doo dodo doo doo doo doo dodo...") She wandered, in her PJs, to the sliding glass door leading to the small private balcony attached to her suite and slid it open. Smiling into the bright new morning, she took two steps out onto the deck of her balcony, and then stumbled backwards, pressing herself flat against the wall in shock. Below her, swarthy men in ramshackle rowboats had begun screaming "HEY LADY!!! HEY LADY!!!" as soon as she moved into view.
Edging her way back to the door she slinked back into her room and closed the door carefully - all the while the men attempted to get her to communicate with them "HEY LADY! AMERICAN? ENGLISH? FRENCH? HEY LADY???"
We all thought this was hilarious - River Baksheesh Pirates! - until we tried to reach the pool deck unscathed after breakfast. The men were EVERYWHERE in their rowboats, one rowing, the other standing in the bow heaving packages up onto the deck wrapped in plastic. They were trying to sell crappy towels and t shirts and tablecloths.
Because the cruise ships must moor and wait for their turn to travel through the lock, we were sitting ducks. Like ticks on an extremely corpulent, lazy dog, they swarmed us. Looking out across the Nile at the other cruise ships, we realized that we were not alone.
Hey Lady!!!!
So, what were we to do? The instant any of us got anywhere near the side of the ship the screaming and the heaving of plastic-wrapped packages began. The packages pelted heavily onto the deck, and on one memorable occasion, into the head of a French woman trying to sunbathe. She'd been listening to the chorus of "Hey Lady!" and "Give me a price!" for too long, evidently - being hit in the head with plastic-wrapped tourist crapola was the last straw. Leaping to her feet vibrating with French indignation (and no one can vibrate with indignation like the French) she strode to the railing and began haranguing the man in outraged and totally incoherent French. I don't know what she said, but I am CERTAIN I didn't learn ANY of those words in my college French class...
Then she rocketed the package back at the guy. He caught it neatly, all the while yelling back "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" His rower was so transfixed by what had occurred that he forgot to row, and the current caught them and pulled them away slowly. The man was still yelling "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" and his voice dwindled, quieter and quieter as they fell behind. Then the rower kicked himself into high gear, and they moved back towards midship. STILL the man was yelling "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" and his voice got louder and louder...
It was outrageous. People were ducking for cover and trying to get onto the deck chairs near the railings without being spotted. Relaxing it was not.
On a more positive note - I spotted my crow again...
Finally it was our turn to go through the lock. The men in their rowboats hung on the sides of the boat, hitching a ride and still screaming as we moved toward the lock, hoping for one last sale before we were out of their purview forever - but as we pulled into the lock, they dropped away.
Meanwhile, we had all been inside listening to our Egyptologist give us a lecture on the recent archaeological discoveries in Luxor. Powerpoint, it turns out, is EVERYWHERE.
So we were on our way to Edfu -
Then she rocketed the package back at the guy. He caught it neatly, all the while yelling back "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" His rower was so transfixed by what had occurred that he forgot to row, and the current caught them and pulled them away slowly. The man was still yelling "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" and his voice dwindled, quieter and quieter as they fell behind. Then the rower kicked himself into high gear, and they moved back towards midship. STILL the man was yelling "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" and his voice got louder and louder...
It was outrageous. People were ducking for cover and trying to get onto the deck chairs near the railings without being spotted. Relaxing it was not.
On a more positive note - I spotted my crow again...
Finally it was our turn to go through the lock. The men in their rowboats hung on the sides of the boat, hitching a ride and still screaming as we moved toward the lock, hoping for one last sale before we were out of their purview forever - but as we pulled into the lock, they dropped away.
Meanwhile, we had all been inside listening to our Egyptologist give us a lecture on the recent archaeological discoveries in Luxor. Powerpoint, it turns out, is EVERYWHERE.
So we were on our way to Edfu -
Nary a River Baksheesh Pirate in sight...
Edfu Temple was dedicated to the god Horus, but more specifically, it was believed to be the site where Horus fought and vanquished the evil god Seth, the god who had cruelly murdered his father Osiris. So it was a significant religious site, and also the only place where you can find a depiction of Seth on the walls in two different forms - one as a hippopotamus, symbol of evil, and the other his form as a dog with the ears of a donkey. And though I'm getting ahead of myself, here is a picture of that. Note the spear.
Edfu is the largest and best preserved of the Ptolemaic temples in Egypt. (Ptolemaic refers to the Greek pharaohs - the pharaohs who ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great conquered it...) It is interesting to the Egyptologists because it was closely modeled after much earlier pharoanic temple designs. It remained so well preserved because it was buried in silt and mud for 2,000 years.
The approach to the first pylons
On the pylon to the left there you can see Ptolemy XII whacking the heads off his enemies in triumph before Horus and Hathor. Hurrah.
The first pylons are guarded by two black granite statues of Horus in his falcon form
Inside the court
The gods showering the pharoah with life
This one is interesting - our egyptologist told us it depicted one of two things - ancient boogying down, or an ancient sobriety test.
You can see above again the square cutouts the Romans made for defense in the walls while they stayed in the temple...
A falcon headed sphinx in the hypostyle hall
Then we entered the temple. We really enjoyed the reliefs showing the pharoah presenting the temple to the god Horus...but first he had to be introduced...
The Pharoah measured out the grounds for the temple and offered them to the god
Then he made an offering of coins at the four outermost corners of the temple complex - another way to know for certain that this was a ptolemaic temple was this - the Egyptians didn't USE coins before the Greeks...
Incidentally the headdress the pharoah is wearing in this caused us all some confusion, we're used to seeing him rock out either the Crown of Upper Egypt or the Crown of Lower Egypt or, in a fit of inspiration, the COMBINED Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt - like what Horus is wearing up there, for example - but this whole feathery flowery thingy on the pharoah totally threw us. Our egyptologist told us it is a festival headdress.
A relief showing the pharoah and assorted priests (all bald) carrying the ritual boat in which the small gold statue of the god was contained during festivals and rituals. Note that the pharoah, being a bad ass, is wearing the skin of a jaguar or similar. You can see it's head in the picture, actually, in the middle of his chest.
The place could use a woman's touch. You know, some hangings, a standing lamp, maybe a rug or two...a small table with a vase of flowers...
Protective winged cobras
Edfu is the largest and best preserved of the Ptolemaic temples in Egypt. (Ptolemaic refers to the Greek pharaohs - the pharaohs who ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great conquered it...) It is interesting to the Egyptologists because it was closely modeled after much earlier pharoanic temple designs. It remained so well preserved because it was buried in silt and mud for 2,000 years.
The approach to the first pylons
On the pylon to the left there you can see Ptolemy XII whacking the heads off his enemies in triumph before Horus and Hathor. Hurrah.
The first pylons are guarded by two black granite statues of Horus in his falcon form
Inside the court
The gods showering the pharoah with life
This one is interesting - our egyptologist told us it depicted one of two things - ancient boogying down, or an ancient sobriety test.
You can see above again the square cutouts the Romans made for defense in the walls while they stayed in the temple...
A falcon headed sphinx in the hypostyle hall
Then we entered the temple. We really enjoyed the reliefs showing the pharoah presenting the temple to the god Horus...but first he had to be introduced...
Honey, I'd like you to meet my new friend Ptolemy...
The Pharoah measured out the grounds for the temple and offered them to the god
Then he made an offering of coins at the four outermost corners of the temple complex - another way to know for certain that this was a ptolemaic temple was this - the Egyptians didn't USE coins before the Greeks...
Um...bricks? Do you...like bricks? Please don't hit me with your stick.
Incidentally the headdress the pharoah is wearing in this caused us all some confusion, we're used to seeing him rock out either the Crown of Upper Egypt or the Crown of Lower Egypt or, in a fit of inspiration, the COMBINED Crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt - like what Horus is wearing up there, for example - but this whole feathery flowery thingy on the pharoah totally threw us. Our egyptologist told us it is a festival headdress.
A relief showing the pharoah and assorted priests (all bald) carrying the ritual boat in which the small gold statue of the god was contained during festivals and rituals. Note that the pharoah, being a bad ass, is wearing the skin of a jaguar or similar. You can see it's head in the picture, actually, in the middle of his chest.
The place could use a woman's touch. You know, some hangings, a standing lamp, maybe a rug or two...a small table with a vase of flowers...
Protective winged cobras
Oh hai! Dung Beetle's gots your suns and iz pushing them around!
The temple is also significant because it still has the original sanctuary of the god - the place where the statue was housed. I'm pretty sure that the ritual boat in front is a replica though.
My joy knew no bounds - a bee! A bee with an ENORMOUS stinger!
In honor of all the bees depicted all over all the temples in egypt, I decided to name my two hive queens Nefertari and Nefertiti. Nefertari evidently means "The Beautiful One Belongs to Me," or "Most Beautiful," or "Beautiful Companion," and Nefertiti means "The Beautiful One Has Come."
You all remember my good friend Ramses II right? Nefertari was his most beloved wife. He wrote the following poem within her tomb:
"My love is unique - no one can rival her, for she is the most beautiful woman alive. Just by passing, she has stolen away my heart."
The only other thing I have to show you all is a picture of the hieroglyphs for numbers.
My joy knew no bounds - a bee! A bee with an ENORMOUS stinger!
In honor of all the bees depicted all over all the temples in egypt, I decided to name my two hive queens Nefertari and Nefertiti. Nefertari evidently means "The Beautiful One Belongs to Me," or "Most Beautiful," or "Beautiful Companion," and Nefertiti means "The Beautiful One Has Come."
You all remember my good friend Ramses II right? Nefertari was his most beloved wife. He wrote the following poem within her tomb:
"My love is unique - no one can rival her, for she is the most beautiful woman alive. Just by passing, she has stolen away my heart."
The only other thing I have to show you all is a picture of the hieroglyphs for numbers.
Okay, do you see where the dude is kneeling with his arms up? That means one million. The the three froggies stand for 100,000 each. The curved sticks stand for 10,000 each, and the bent shovel looking things are 1,000 each. The pig tail things are 100 each, the upside down u's are 10 each, and the short line is 1. So what we have here is a tally of the amount of offerings, well, offered, and if I'm remembering this right it's one million, three hundred and thirty three thousand, three hundred and thirty one.
But I could be wrong. Our next trip after Esna was to Aswan, to visit the High Dam, and the Temple of Philae. Stay tuned!
But I could be wrong. Our next trip after Esna was to Aswan, to visit the High Dam, and the Temple of Philae. Stay tuned!
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1 comments:
Wow, just wow. This makes me want to visit but I would be absolutely clueless. I'd have to have an excellent guide and 18 "For Dummies" books to know what I was looking at.
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