Confront the Huge Edifice

The natural border that formed the division between Egyptian land and that of Nubia was this Aswan area.  The first cataract, impassible by boats and as well pulled into Aswan by car, having docked forty minutes up river by car, we saw a traffic jam of enormous tour boats lined up along the riverside.  For boats then, Aswan, the end of the line.  I needed cash and we stopped first at the ATM.   A large man in a grey khaftan wanted to be my friend, of course.  I learned that he name was Karim.  Karim wanted money.  He was my size and rather insistent, but I tried to be friendly and being just as assertive. 

The ride to Abu Simbal was uneventful.  I decided to finish off the remarkable poem in triplet of Omeros, by Derek Walcott.  He took me from the West Indies to Glendalough acoss  to Trafalgar Square, and yes, that must be James Joyce and the other and older woman reminds me of my maternal grandmother.  Outside it is dry desert came with a few interesting natural pyramid shapes off in the distance.  To the right, that’s the road to Libya.  I’ve never seen “the road to Libya” before.  Straight ahead, these trucks are queued for the boarder crossing to the Sudan.  So close to Khartoum before.  And by the time we arrive I duck into the public restroom to finish the last few ages and then, am ready to confront Ramses II’s grand construction. 

It’s wonderful.  It is enormous.  I’ve tried to remember and no one else can recall the names of the Northern Wei, Longmen Grottoes in Hennan or the Yungang Grottoes in Shanxi.  They are smaller in stature, certainly, (half the size in appears,) much newer and for a different purpose.  This is big.  It’s about 107 degrees and bone-dry as we walk around the corner and confront the huge edifice.  Four seated figures, serene, mighty and as explained meant to be a warning:  This is Egyptian land.  You Nubian people, be respectful or we’ll smite you.  And of course, eventually the Nubians do smite the Egyptians.

As you turn around there is the largest man-made lake on earth, Lake Nassar.  That man, it was pointed out, is hunting crocodiles.  There are thousands of crocs in this reservoir and none below the damn anymore.  Kom Ombo had been a temple dedicated to crocodiles but now, no crocs left below Aswan.  Inside there are remarkable carvings to Ramses II and his relations to the gods.  He is seated as a young man and an older form and importantly next door his wife has her own temple built for Nefertari his favorite wife.  Our routine is to buy one photography ticket, which is a silly fake charge to begin with, and then when they press for more tickets beyond the one you’ve bought, slip them some baksheesh and beyond your way. 

Later, we’re back at the remarkable Cataract hotel, consider the view out to Elephantine island yet more ruins in the bend of the river.  Upstairs we consider the room where Winston Churchill once stayed and the wonderful detail on our showers.  Everyone is quite ready to relax.

Thursday, 7/11/19