Aswan - Lili on the Loose

19 09, 2016

Museum Monday: Granite Scarab at the Nubian Museum

By Lili|September 19th, 2016|Categories: Museums, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Aswan, Cobra, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Middle East, Nubian Museum, Photo Essay, Scarab, Sun Disk of Ra, UNESCO, Uraeus|0 Comments

This granite scarab with the sun disk of Ra and a uraeus (cobra) which are symbols of leadership in ancient Egypt. This is about the size of a football and sits within its own shrine. If you go: The hours change depending on the season. When I went in late October it was open from 9-1 and then 4-7. Admission for foreigners without any student discounts is 60 EGP. I believe the student discount put it at 40-45 EGP. Museum Monday is an every other week series about museum news, objects, and reviews.

15 08, 2016

Travel Missteps: The Fast Felucca

By Lili|August 15th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2015, Africa, Aswan, Cairo, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Explorer, Felucca, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Middle East, night train, Nile, obelisk, pool, Sailboat, service, unfinished obelisk|0 Comments

After a long night train from Cairo, we finally reached Aswan. To hit the ground running, I immediately took a taxi to the Unfinished Obelisk. Afterwards, I was so tired, and so decided to swim at the hotel pool, which overlooks the Nile. Typical to the "service" standard that was in Egypt, no towel attendants were in sight. Due to the lack of tourists the cafe was shut down. (We ordered lunch with a lone employee who had appeared, but it took over 2 hours for us to finally see them again with that food!) And the pool was missing

30 06, 2016

Hypaethral Hall of Trajan’s Kiosk

By Lili|June 30th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Agilika Island, Aswan, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Middle East, Philae, Philae Temple, Roman Emperor, Trajan, Trajan's Kiosk, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

Trajan's Kiosk is a hypaethral temple (no roof) found at Philae in Egypt. Trajan was a Roman Emperor best known for having extended the Roman Empire to its largest area. Part of the newly acquired area was Egypt. Rome assimilated into the local culture and created hybrid architecture temples. This was one of them. It is airy and bright with beautiful different capitals on top of each column. And with a view right on the water. It was sometimes nicknamed "The Pharaoh's Bed".

29 06, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 10, Part 2 – Nile Cruise Sets Sail

By Lili|June 29th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, Aswan, Cruise, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, Kom Ombo, Kom Ombo Temple, Middle East, Nile, Nile Cruise, Perfume|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Saturday October 31, 2015 Egypt: Day 10, Part 2 – Nile Cruise Sets Sail After we made it past the sellers at the marina near Philae Temple we set off again. A few of us were dropped off at a Perfume store. We spent a while drinking tea and smelling all the various scents. I've never owned perfume so I don't know what I like (or am allergic too) and there are so many to smell that its hard to

28 06, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 10, Part 1 – Philae Temple

By Lili|June 28th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, Agilika Island, Aswan, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, Hadrian, Middle East, Philae, Philae Temple, Roman Emperor, Trajan, Trajan's Kiosk, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Saturday October 31, 2015 Egypt: Day 10, Part 1 – Philae Temple It was another early day, and the food for breakfast wasn't that great. Now I'm not a breakfast person anyway, but even their potatoes were tasteless. Then it was time to board a bus to Philae Temple. When arrived we were once again accosted by numerous sellers. And this was before we even exited the bus! After Mikel got us tickets we had to run the gambit of numerous

23 06, 2016

Coptic Crosses at Philae Temple

By Lili|June 23rd, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Agilika Island, Alter, Aswan, Coptic, Coptic Church, Coptic Cross, Cross, Crosses, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Hieroglyphics, Middle East, Philae, Philae Temple, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|0 Comments

These crosses are a jarring contrast against the detailed hieroglyphics you see throughout Philae Temple, so its not hard to spot them. On columns and entryways they are found. They stand out more than the ancient graffiti. And even stand out more than the defaced images of Egyptian Gods, Goddesses, Pharaohs and everyday people. When I first saw these, as a fan of Ancient Egypt I was peeved. Philae Temple is so impressive, and the carvings that remain intriguing. But upon reflection these crosses shows how ancient temples found new uses in later times. They were refuges for early oppressed Christians as

21 06, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 9, Part 3 – Aswan at Night

By Lili|June 21st, 2016|Categories: Museums, Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Africa, Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Cathedral, Aswan, bargaining, Cathedral, Christian, church, Coptic, Coptic Church, Cross, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, G Adventures, Gadventures, GAP, Lion, Middle East, Mummies, Mummy, Nubian Museum, Photo Essay, Ramses II, Shawabti, shopping, Temple, Temple of Gerf Hussein, UNESCO, Ushabti|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Friday October 30, 2015 Egypt: Day 9, Part 3 – Aswan at Night It wasn't that long of a walk to the Nubian Museum. When we went the museum actually opened in the morning, then closed around lunchtime, and then opened up again at 4PM and into the night. This is actually rare nowadays in Egypt, as most other sites and museums close around 4-5. Which is actually a bummer as I was still ready to site see around that

18 06, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 9, Part 2 – Agatha Christie’s Aswan

By Lili|June 18th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Abu Simbel, Africa, Agatha Christie, Aswan, Cruise, cruise ship, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, Felucca, G Adventures, Middle East, Nile, Nile Cruise, Old Cataract Hotel, Tea, touts|0 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Friday October 30, 2015 Egypt: Day 9, Part 2 – Agatha Christie's Aswan We headed back to our hotel at the far end of town to pickup our bags. Then we drove towards the center of town and boarded the cruise ship. To board you crossed a gangplank and then would go through multiple cruise ship's lobbies. The first one we went through was obviously a more upscale one, and I admired the well done faux Egyptian carvings in their

16 06, 2016

Hieroglyphics and Nilometer on Elephantine Island

By Lili|June 16th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, History, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2015, Africa, Aswan, cartouche, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Explorer, Elephantine Island, Hieroglyphics, Middle East, Nilometer, Photo Essay, Psamtik II, Travel Thursday, UNESCO, UNESCO World Heritage Site|2 Comments

Near the Nilometer on Elephantine Island in Aswan, Egypt, there are massive boulders you can see from the river with hieroglyphics inscribed with the cartouche of Psamtik II. It is really amazing to see these hieroglyphics so clearly from the water. And to withstand the test of time. The entrance to the Nilometer is an unassuming doorway with steps leading to the nile. It is one of the oldest Nilometers in Egypt and was in use until the 19th century. Every other week Travel Thursday brings you travel tips and information on the amazing sights and activities the world has to offer.

15 06, 2016

Egypt Travelogue: Day 9, Part 1 – Temples at Abu Simbel

By Lili|June 15th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Memories, Travelogue|Tags: 2015, Abu Simbel, Africa, Aswan, Dream of Egypt, Egypt, Egypt Travelogue, G Adventures, Middle East, Ramses, Ramses the Great, The Martian|2 Comments

This is my travel diary of my trip to Egypt. It contains in detail my memories of what I did and saw. Friday October 30, 2015 Egypt: Day 9, Part 1 – Temples at Abu Simbel We woke up around 4:30 AM and got ready. We would be checking into the cruise ship so we had packed all of our belongings and left them in the lobby. Right after we set off in the van Maxine realized she forgot her passport in the safe. As it was necessary for the flight we turned around and she ran in and got it. Our