Temples more temples

Day 9

Ah ha, up nice and early, and time to visit Kolkumbo (I need to check all these names on Google before posting, but probably will forget!!) Temple just by where we were docked. In fact the "bedouin tent group" had seen it lit up the previous night. Points of note are that this temple was built by Ptolemy?, in a mixed Greco-Egyptian style, and there was evidence of a surgery, with waiting room games etc. Also had a Gregorian calendar explanation in hieroglypics, and a Persian Lion, with apparently is a mystery as there was no communication with Persia for another several hundred years. According to Shady, Egyptologists are in denial that it even exists!

Down the river and pulled up to see Edfu Temple. This has some particularly well preserved friezes, and has a large outer wall around the edge. Noticed that here, as well as many of the other temples, particular faces had been systematically scratched out. Why? The answer is that over the years, supporters of rival Gods have wanted to eliminate rival deities, so have scrubbed them from existence. Also Christians have had a hand, and children playing. All theories I suppose. One does get the impression that nothing is certain in our knowledge of Ancient Egypt. In each temple we have had a different guide, and they have often contradicted each other, and there's a lot of "oh that was recently disproven" etc. All theories...

After Edfu we travelled through a lock in the Nile. Was quite exciting, especially when we pulled up waiting to go through, and the bow of the ship hung right over the road next to the water! Quite a sight.. We finished the evening up on deck chatting until 5:30am. Really nice, although a bit strange hearing all the call-to-prayers going off at 4:30am or thereabouts.