"The friendliest city in Egypt" a Aswan Travel Page by vdoortje

Aswan is a great place to be! The city is clean and the people are very friendly. The souk is the best one in Egypt after the Khan el Khalili in Cairo. Specialy if you need spices!
And it is a base for many trips. Just to mention a few:
Philea Tempel! One of the most beautiful tempels in Egypt, not in the last place because of its surroundings. Very idyllic on an isle in the Nile. The Sound and Light show there is one of the best. Only to be beaten by the one in Abu Simbel.
The Nile!!! The river is at its most beautiful there with many islands and romantic views. It is quite understandable that Nefertari, the favourite wife of the great Ramsess II, was so in love with this place. Because the air is bright and the colours so intense.
The Nubian people! As sad as it is, but they have that kind of relaxed attitude of taking life how it comes to them. And, up untill now, life wasn't very friendly to them. Being robbed of their homes, forced into barren excile places. But still they manage to keep up their pride. Watch the women in the streets of Aswan with their black lace dresses, walking proudly straight up! Any hotel, restaurant or cruise ship in Upper Egypt will have Nubians as their personel. Because of their hospitality and sunny character.

This young Nubian boy will look familiar to people who took a sail along the Nile in Aswan. We have met him on our first trip there: 2,5 years ago. And now he was there again. He hooks on to any ship that crosses his path and will sing a song for you in your own language. He is famous!! His little boat has improved a little and so is his repertoire!
And he has many copy cats!!!

Give this boy a break and give him some baksheesh!! As well as his copy cats!!! ;-)

All the monuments around Aswan and, the present, Lake Nasser suffered from the building of the High Dam. So many monuments needed to be replaced and even more just disappeared in the excisting waters of Lake Nasser. Just the best survived. Some in Egypt, some elsewhere.
Philea Tempel is a monument that survived, but got replaced.
It is not such an old tempel compared to Egyptian standards. It is thought to be build by the Pharao Taharka, a ruler of the 25th dynasty, but came to great importance during the Greek-Roman period from about 350 BC.
And it still speaks to the imagination of many people, because the Tempel is dedicated to Isis.
Isis is one of the godesses that never died and is still worshipped today in various forms.
The Tempel speaks of the love of Isis for her husband and brother Osiris, who she ressurected from the dead with her magical skills. After this ressurection Osiris, the god of fertility, made her pregnant and she gave birth to Horus, the predecessor of all Pharaos.
Her unconditional love for Osiris and the magical birth of Horus, her fight to protect the men she loved touched people all over the ages.
And this tempel portrayes that love. I guess that is why it is so popular.
That and its idylic location on an island, the island Agilkia, in the Nile!
Don't miss the Sound and Light show there; it is one of the best. Pure magic!!