As we departed from Edfu, I was awoken by the sound of the paddle wheel. Since I was wide awake, I figured I might as well make it official and watch the sunrise from our balcony. Our lovely little suite was located in the aft section of the boat just above the paddle wheel. Over the course of the trip, Rob and I had become quite attached to the sound it made.
I sat for quite some time and watched the darkness fade into a soft light as the mist that clung to the Nile slowly evaporated. Once again I witnessed the enchanting dance of the marsh birds as they darted in and out of the rushes.
Bob’s documentary was quite interesting to watch last night. We all gathered in the grand salon of the boat for its screening. The rear of the room was equipped with quite a sizable pull down screen. In the documentary, National Geographic followed Bob and Architect Jean-Pierre Houdin as they set out to solve the mystery of how the Great Pyramid was built. Afterward we had a lively discussion. What an amazing experience to have Bob right there among us to answer all of our burning questions. Now, that’s something you don’t get to do everyday. What fun!
Eventually we made our way to the day’s destination, Hormheb’s temple. It was interesting to see the process it took for the crew to lash down the paddle boat to shore. It was quite an undertaking. While the crew were busy tethering us to shore, I ran around the deck trying to digitally capture of all the desert delights surrounding me.
After exploring Homrheb’s temple at Silsila, we hiked up past shrines and temples the quarry workers cut into the rocky hillside. The sandstone cliffs of this area were harvested to build many of the magnificent temples of the 18th Dynasty. We stood in the shade with rapt attention as Bob gave an excellent talk about ancient quarrying techniques.
Upon returning to the boat, it was time for lunch and then our first hieroglyph lesson on the covered main deck of the boat. So far this trip has had a lovely balance of busy and rest.
Later that night we returned to the salon to watch Boris Karloff’s The Mummy. What a treat! To watch this classic with a happy group surrounded by the delightful ambiance of antiquity in the well-appointed salon, sipping an evening cocktail as this stunning vintage boat chugs on down the Nile.
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