Egypt 9 - edited with photos
Feb 10, 2009 9:00:40 GMT
Post by bazfaz on Feb 10, 2009 9:00:40 GMT
Here we are, back in Aswan after a trip to Abu Simbel. But first...
We were being hurried off our computers last time I was posting because the Information Technology Club wanted then to conduct a tutorial. I think we are OK for a bit so I can just tell you a couple of things from our last Aswan visit.
The Old Cataract Hotel is closed for two years while it is remade (but at Egyptian speed).
The Cataract Hotel from Elephantine Jsland
But just next door are the Ferial Gardens where we have watched the sunset and also had a picnic lunch. It is a nice place though not so peaceful as it appears to be school/university holidays in parts of Egypt.
The Ferial Gardens
A typical sized Egyptian family - four or five children - having fun at the Ferial Gardens
At the entrance there is a big notice detailing what the gardens have to offer. It begins promisingly:
"Description: characterized by El Magic garden beauty is a natural park and has a special character which distinguishes it from other rocks..."
After several lines in this vein it ends:
"Wealth plant in the gardens: the garden contains a wealth of high plant and a special beauty and magic of the trees (reduced - jamal -oboe - Alborijaonia - sycamore - SCHEMBERI option - kapok - Palm kings)"
On our last day (before we went to Abu Simbel) we crossed to the Botanical Gardens (also known as Kitchener's Island or the Island of Plants). The guide books make it sound difficult to get to but we found a sign up Dock of Botanical Gardens right next door to McDonald's on the Corniche where a public ferry ran to the island. It was a busy day - Friday (weekend here) - so the ferries were running all the time. We enjoyed the island, took a picnic with us, wandered, found a shady bench to read and eat, and Mrs Faz spotted many birds.
The only disappointment was this. A sign promised what plants there were. I was sorry not to find and be able to report to you on the Shower Pudding Pipe tree.
I'm going to make Abu Simbel a separate thread.
We were being hurried off our computers last time I was posting because the Information Technology Club wanted then to conduct a tutorial. I think we are OK for a bit so I can just tell you a couple of things from our last Aswan visit.
The Old Cataract Hotel is closed for two years while it is remade (but at Egyptian speed).
The Cataract Hotel from Elephantine Jsland
But just next door are the Ferial Gardens where we have watched the sunset and also had a picnic lunch. It is a nice place though not so peaceful as it appears to be school/university holidays in parts of Egypt.
The Ferial Gardens
A typical sized Egyptian family - four or five children - having fun at the Ferial Gardens
At the entrance there is a big notice detailing what the gardens have to offer. It begins promisingly:
"Description: characterized by El Magic garden beauty is a natural park and has a special character which distinguishes it from other rocks..."
After several lines in this vein it ends:
"Wealth plant in the gardens: the garden contains a wealth of high plant and a special beauty and magic of the trees (reduced - jamal -oboe - Alborijaonia - sycamore - SCHEMBERI option - kapok - Palm kings)"
On our last day (before we went to Abu Simbel) we crossed to the Botanical Gardens (also known as Kitchener's Island or the Island of Plants). The guide books make it sound difficult to get to but we found a sign up Dock of Botanical Gardens right next door to McDonald's on the Corniche where a public ferry ran to the island. It was a busy day - Friday (weekend here) - so the ferries were running all the time. We enjoyed the island, took a picnic with us, wandered, found a shady bench to read and eat, and Mrs Faz spotted many birds.
The only disappointment was this. A sign promised what plants there were. I was sorry not to find and be able to report to you on the Shower Pudding Pipe tree.
I'm going to make Abu Simbel a separate thread.
