May 27 - In Aswan

Got to Aswan this morning. The usual swarm surrounding you as you get out of the train station. Went to the tourist information station just outside the train station and asked about how to get to Abu Simbel(where the Great Temple of Ramses II). They told me that you can get there for 60 Egyptian pounds from any hotel. So then off to a hotel.

The first one I went to they quoted me a price about 3 times what it said in the Lonely Planet book and 120 pounds for the Ramses II tour. That sent some alarm bells off, when I asked them about the quote I received earlier, they kind of smiled. I was out of there. Off to get another hotel. A guy came up and told me 40 pounds for another hotel, I went it is where I am now. Horus Hotel. Nice view of the nile from my window terrace. Booked a tour for Ramses II for 60 pounds, I have to be in the lobby at 3:15am to get there early. It gets back around 1pm and I think I can get a train to Luxor at 4pm.

I was worried about having to spend to many days here but it seems to have worked out well enough. I can get to Luxor and stay on schedule, getting to Jordan from Luxor is going to be a long haul and want to have enough time in Petra.

Back to Aswan, after some laundry I headed out to the Nubia Museum which was a nice museum of Nubian artifacts. Saw the Fatimid Cemetary which is not in such great shape. Close by they also had the Unfinished Obelisk. It would have been the biggest obelisk extracted from the quarry (42 metres) but was abandoned after a flaw was discovered. Looks like alot of work to cut out an obelisk out of the rock.

People tend to guess I am from Holland for some reason. When I say I am from Canada they laugh and say "Ah Canada Dry". I haven't personally heard a reference to Canada Dry ginger ale in years but apparently Egyptians know about it.

Everyone loves their baksheesh here or tipping. I find it real annoying sometimes when a guy points you to the direction of a bathroom stall and later wants a tip for it. Anyone who shows the slightest courtesy feels they are owed a baksheesh. Just a difference in cultures I guess. Do you think I could make some extra money at work if I asked my coworkers for baksheesh? ;-)

So I am set to see the 2 Temples as Abu Simbel tomorrow. "Great Temple of Ramses II" and there is also the "Temple of Hathor". The tours travel in a military convoy as security is somewhat spotty in the south. Guess I will just relax, wander around, try not to get to harassed by the locals. Here they want to sell you Felucca rides, but I really don't have the time right now.