Nicole's Grand Adventure (cont.)

Abu Simbel, majestic in the morning sunshine

Day 12

This day was a bit slower for us. We transferred from our cruise ship on the Nile to a hotel where we'd spend our final night in Aswan - the Movenpick Aswan. This lovely property is located on an island in the middle of Nile, with beautifully landscaped grounds, gorgeous pools, restaurants, and a full-service spa all on site. 

Pool goddess vibes at
the Movenpick Aswan 

I checked into a spacious room with a balcony offering river views, then slipped into my swimsuit for some pool time. After a delicious bowl of pasta for lunch in one of the on-site restaurants, I took a load off in my room for a bit. The tour operators were offering an excursion to Aswan Market that afternoon/evening, but instead, I chose to book an indulgent massage at the property's spa. At the appointed time, an attendant met me in the lobby and drove me in a golf cart through flower-festooned gardens to the spa. I got the one-hour Egyptian massage, and my aesthetician worked out all of the kinks in my neck and back that had accrued from riding on planes, buses, boats, vans, and camels for the past week and a half! Heaven. 

Note: The tour operators were generally pretty open regarding downtime. Though the schedule of this trip was absolutely PACKED, if a traveler wanted to sit an excursion out, and it was logistically feasible, there were no issues there. (Sometimes, folks just need a rest.) I found the same openness if I wanted to strike out on my own at a tourist site. Find out when you need to be back at the bus, and DON'T be late, and it was generally fine. There were even times on the bus when I just couldn't take any more commentary. I slipped my AirPods in, cranked up my playlist, and took a breather. As long as you are respectful of others, you can carve out some time for yourself, even on a group trip.

That evening, I showered, dressed up, and rejoined our travel party at the hotel restaurant for dinner. I ended the night watching Aswan light up from my balcony. This was such a fantastic, well-appointed property, and I could have easily stayed here another night or two. 

Evening river and city view from my balcony in Aswan

Day 13

Today was busy, but I couldn't start it without a lovely cup of tea from my balcony, watching the sunrise over the city and the river. 

Then, we packed up and headed out. I'd purchased an optional excursion to Abu Simbel on this day, which was going to make for a very busy morning. First, we arrived at the Aswan airport, where we caught a 40-minute flight to the temple. (From what I can tell, it's very common to fly to this attraction, visit it, and then fly right back out again. The airport is located very close to the temple, and the temple is clearly visible from the airplane window when flying in.) On the very short drive from the airport to the temple, it seemed clear that the town itself is pretty small and primarily functions to support visitors coming to view the temple itself.

Abu Simbel interior

Once we arrived at the attraction, we went through ticketing and then began to explore. Abu Simbel sits on the shores of Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest man-made lakes. The lake was created as a result of the construction of the Aswan High Dam, which we'd visited earlier in the week. Abu Simbel was originally in a location that would have flooded in a post-Aswan High Dam world. That's how a multinational team of archaeologists, engineers, and skilled heavy equipment operators ended up working together under the UNESCO banner to cut the temple into giant blocks and move it (using custom cranes) 65 meters higher, above the new water line.

When you see the massive size of this temple, the magnitude of such an undertaking boggles the mind. Abu Simbel had been carved INTO the surrounding rock. So to preserve the original character of the temple, that effect had to be duplicated in a new location. It's ridiculously impressive. 

There are actually two temples at the site of Abu Simbel - the really big one (which is what most people know/recognize) and a second one. Both were built in the 13th century BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II. One temple was for him, and the second one was for his beloved wife, Nefertari. The two temples sit side by side. 

After enjoying this site for a couple of hours, it was back on the bus, then a flight back to Aswan to rejoin the larger group, THEN a flight back to Cairo for the last leg of our trip. We were very lucky, and all of this travel went smoothly and according to schedule.

The key of life . . . 

Upon arriving back in Cairo, we checked into our final hotel of the trip - the Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino. This was a gorgeous, full-service property in a great location. Beautiful rooms, a few on-site restaurant options, a lovely pool and spa, and even an attached shopping area with convenient souvenirs, necessities, and cash machines. An excellent way to finish our time in Egypt. 

After freshening up a bit, we headed out for a group dinner at Abou El Sid, a lively local restaurant. We sat at big, communal tables. We all shared a variety of appetizers, then selected from a list of main courses, then had rice pudding for dessert. I loved the decor and atmosphere of this place. 

After a busy day, it was back to the hotel to take a load off for the evening!

Day 14

This was our last full day in Egypt. All members of our travel party had flights leaving the next day - some to the optional Jordan extension and others back home. 

We awoke and had an absolutely lovely breakfast in an on-property restaurant - the Garden Promenade Cafe. We dined al fresco under bright umbrellas, enjoying coffee, tea, omelettes made to order, and all manner of delicious bites from a very well-stocked buffet. 

Then, it was onto the bus to explore some sites in the city of Cairo. As we navigated to our first attraction, I was a bit alarmed by the number of military police I saw on the streets of the city. There were a lot of officers. Like, A LOT. I wasn't the only one who noticed, and we put the question to our tour guide. 

The beautiful haramlek at the Gayer-Anderson Museum

She noted that Friday (the day of the week we were traveling on) was Egypt's "Sunday," the day when many in the city went to religious services. She noted that there was typically police/military presence out and about on this day to ensure the safety of worshippers, but also admitted that the numbers of them we were seeing were more than usual. During my entire time in Egypt, this was the only moment when I had a more elevated concern about my safety. Overall, I felt very safe during our trip. But seeing so many military officers, obviously out in force, made me think that they'd received intelligence regarding some threat and were positioning themselves for readiness. 

It's fairly obvious from this portrait of himself
as the Sphinx that Gayer-Anderson had a
healthy amount of self-esteem. 

I was glad that, instead of visiting religious sites that morning, we were headed first to the Gayer-Anderson Museum. This attraction is the preserved home of Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson Pasha, who lived there 1935-42, and it contains his personal collections and effects. Gayer-Anderson was a self-proclaimed "Orientalist," and he collected many art objects, antiquities, and pieces of decorative furniture. These are on display at the home, as he donated the dwelling and its contents to the Egyptian government when he left Egypt due to ill health in 1942. 

The house itself is built against a mosque (which was once a common practice), and I loved the paneling,  carpets, furniture, and art throughout. A visit here is a wonderful way to get a sense of what daily life was like for the wealthy in Cairo at the time. I particularly enjoyed the haramlek, a room designed for women. You can recognize it by the room's latticed window panels, which allow inhabitants to look out but prevent anyone outside from looking in.

After our visit here, we headed back to the religious quarter for the afternoon, where our first stop was Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church. This site is commonly known as the Hanging Church, as it's built over a citadel's old foundations, meaning it "hangs" above ground. It's one of the oldest churches in Egypt, and the building is topped by the Coptic cross. The pews here are carved with Christian symbols - grapes, fish, crosses, etc., and the church has cleverly installed some clear floor panels to help visitors understand the negative space below. (Beneath the church, you can observe an old atrium, with niched walls that once contained statues.) 

Lovely courtyard and entryway
at the Hanging Church

Next up, we walked to the Cavern Church, also known as Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, which features arched brick supports and a wooden ceiling designed to evoke Noah's Ark. The Cavern Church is said to mark an ancient holy site, traditionally believed to have been built on the spot where the holy family rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. A cavern under the altar, as well as an ancient well, is said to mark the original location. 

We spent the rest of the day in/around the hotel, doing a bit of last-minute shopping and preparing to depart the following day. That night, we enjoyed a final group dinner, at which I gave our tour guide a big tip (I also had one for Mena, who did so much on-the-ground work for us) and a hug! 

Day 15

Though many of our travel party left in the wee hours on the last day, I had arranged for an afternoon departure. Thus, I spent my morning at the hotel pool (and in the glorious jacuzzi), enjoyed a leisurely shower, and had a lovely lunch at Saraya Gallery on property. I took one last, lovely walk around the well-kept gardens, then met up with Mena a final time for my trip back home.

He helped me get through security and bag check, and then I said my final Egypt goodbye! My flight to London was uneventful, and I'd arranged a long layover so I could check into the Sofitel London Heathrow and sack out for the night. Upon awakening the following morning, I had breakfast, checked back in, and completed my journey home. 

As I reflect on this trip, I've come to a few conclusions about group travel. Choose group travel IF:

• You are visiting a destination where it might be difficult to handle the planning yourself. This may be because the destination is especially remote, the language barrier is especially high, security is a concern, or navigating in the region is especially difficult. So, in this case, I'd suggest that Egypt (for Americans, anyway) meets these criteria.
• You are interested in pursuing an especially dense itinerary. I would NEVER have attempted such an ambitious itinerary on my own. There were far too many flights, bus rides, boat rides, lodgings, etc. This tour was designed for individuals who want to check off their bucket list of Egyptian sites, and we went to so many of them. 
• You are a traveler who is either older or has some concerns about your physical abilities. In these cases, the safety net of a larger group to travel with (and someone to plan the intricacies of a far-flung trip) offer additional peace of mind while still allowing you to see the world. 

While I won't be in any hurry to book another group travel experience anytime soon, I thoroughly enjoyed this adventure. I got to see so much of Egypt, meet new people, learn about my preferences regarding group travel, and even enjoy some solo time in London.

It truly was a grand adventure! Until the next trip!

Lake Nasser