Nile Archives - The Jacobs Family Website

December 29, 2017

Nile Cruise, Aswan and Abu Simbel

The Nile cruise was amazing – a very comfortable boat with great food and periodic stops to see amazing sites.

Luxor sunset

Up until now our Nile cruise was just a hotel docked on the water.   After Luxor temple we got underway for the first time.

Nile sunset

In Edfu the streets were too narrow for busses so we took carridges to the temple.

Kai gets a "free" head dress

Jacobs family at Edfu temple

Edfu temple courtyard

An Egyptian version of "Sam the Eagle"

Ka and Nora at Edfu temple

Carvings at Edfu temple

This hieroglyphic slug was a recurring motif and it amused us each time we saw it.

Front of Edfu temple - another well-preserved one as it was mostly buried in sand.

Fishermen on the Nile

Nile with reeds on mosque

Fishermen on the Nile

Moonrise over the Nile

Crystal and Nora at Kom Ombo - our only night tour.

Kom Ombo temple at night

Nora with hieroglyphics

The unfinished obelisk in Aswan.   It was twice the size of any other and cracked during excavation.   It was left where it lay

The crowded boat docks to get to the island with Philae Temple

Crystal on the boat to Philae temple

Kai on the boat to Philae Temple

Philae Temple seen from the water

Kai, Crystal and Nora outside Philae Temple

Philae Temple.

Another shot of a building at Philae Temple

Philae Temple from the water on the other side

Felucca on the Nile at Aswan

Feluccas with ancient tombs on the hillside and a Mosque on top

Nora on a Felucca ride

Feclucca at sunset on the Nile

Spice market in Aswan

Kai, Nora and Crystal (and a random photo bomber) in the Aswan market

Sunrise over the western desert on the way to Abu Simbel

Temple at Abu Simbel - it was moved uphill when lake Nasser was created by the Aswan high dam.   The entire hill along with the temple was moved - if you look closely you can see the cut marks on the hill.

Ramses II at Abu Simbel

Jacobs family at Abu Simbel

Crystal and Nora at the opening to the Ramses II temple at Abu Simbel

Last picture of Egypt from our balcony at the old cataracts hotel. Before this dam these area was a torrent of rapids.

December 28, 2017

Luxor Gallery 2

Here is the second gallery from the point we joined the Sun Boat IV cruise in Luxor. For the first whole day and a half the cruise was just a hotel on the water – it was not until we finished our visit to Den Dera and the Luxor temple that we actually got underway.

Nora and Kai on another bright Egypt morning

Karnak Temple

Lone column at the outter court of Karnak temple.

Statue of Ramses II at Karnak temple. I'm quite taken with the palm tree framing on this one.

Obelisks and contrail at Karnak

Obelisk as seen through the inner sanctum at Karnak

The grand avenue at Karnak temple

Bird, mosque and Nile.

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The temple of Queen Hapshepsut

Nora at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut.

Ben and Crystal at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut

Crystal at the temple of Queen Hatchepsut

The temple of Den Dera seen from afar.   Normally our boat would have sailed right here but with the Nile so low it couldn't happen.  Instead we took a two hour bus ride which was totally worth it.

Nora at Den Dara

Nora, Crystal and Kai at Den Dara

The colors in Den Dara were the best of all we saw.   The colors are original with only a treatment to remove years of soot.

Crystal at Den Dara

Nut - the Egyptian Goddess of night...and bubble gum.

Another Den Dara shot

Eye of Horus

Kai in the Crypt at Den Dara. I could stand up inside but needed to slither through the narrow opening to get in.

Crystal at the road that leads from the Luxor temple to Karnak.  Plans are underway to excavate the entire road but it runs right through Luxor so a lot of buildings will need to be demolished.

Plam trees with blue skys

Luxor temple

A lot of the sites had a confluence of religious edifices over the years.   Churches had generally been removed but mosques were often still integrated in or near the temples.   This mosque was inside Luxor Temple

Front of Luxor temple.

Luxor temple was mostly buried in sand which is why it was fairly well presered.   This used to be the front door to the mosque before the excavation.

Courtyard at Luxor temple

The mosque in Luxor temple

Luxor temple avenue

This heiroglyphic symbol was used to place a strong emphasis.

Roman temple to the four emperors at Luxor.

The hieroglyphic owl

December 27, 2017

Luxor Gallery 1

The second gallery picks up the journey as we arrived in Luxor. We actually landed at around 1am and managed a little bit of sleep in the Winter Palace hotel – then it was up and at’em for a morning spent with Khalef and our driver visiting some of the sites that would not be covered once we joined the Nile cruise. These were the b-list sites but we thought they were pretty amazing, especially Habu temple.

Kai learns a bit of rug weaving.

Balloon over Luxor at dawn

I was fascinated by the dozens of balloons that launched each day.   Just as suprised that no one tried to sell us a ride on one.

More Luxor balloons with Valley of the Kings behind.

First major temple at Habu

Birds of Habu Temple

Nora was my assistant photographer - she she took some good shots but I always need to straighten them.   As soon as she puts the camera to her eye her head tilts about 25 degrees.  Here is an uncorrected sample

Family pic at Habu temple near Luxor

Ben at Habu Temple

Ramses II temple

Ben and Crystal as seen through Nora's lens

Inside a tomb of a craftsman foreman - bright colors but painted on, no carvings.   Still, original colors from the time of the new kingdom.

Cramped passages to get in but at least room to stand inside. Again in a no-photo zone.

Bright sunbeam on temple carvings

restored pyramid over the tomb we visited.

Jacons family at the collosus of Memnon

Crystal checking out of the winter palace in Luxor

More balloons over Luxor

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