Canadian World Traveller / Summer 2016 Issue

at a restaurant while listening to Nubian
music. Want to spice up your food? Stop by
at a local market and purchase local
spices. Up for a tattoo? You can get a
henna (flowering plant) tattoo while you’re
here. If you want to take a bit of Aswan with
you as you return home, be sure to buy
souvenirs and African handmade goods at
the Aswan Bazaar. Finally, if you ever have
arthritis or any type of pain during your
stay, you can bury your body aches in the
city’s sand. Aswan also has a number of
sites for people to relax and rejuvenate.
Abu Simbel Temples
These are two massive rock temples located
in Abu Simbel, a village in Nubia, near
the Sudan border. You can find the temples
on the western bank of Lake Nasser, 230
kilometres southwest of Aswan. To avoid
being submerged by Lake Nasser, the temples
were relocated in 1968. This is a
UNESCO World Heritage Site; the complex
is coined the “Nubian Mountains,” since
they run from Abu Simbel to Philae, near
Aswan. Two temples await visitors upon
their arrival. The Great Temple is the
largest. When you arrive at the entrance,
you will see a bas-relief representing two
images of the king worshipping Ra
Harakhti, a falcon head. Step inside the
temple and take a look at the layout. It is
triangular in shape, as are most ancient
temples in Egypt. The hypostyle hall is characterized
by pillars representing Ramses
linked to Osiris, the underworld god. This
indicates the pharaoh’s everlasting nature.
You’ll also see colossal statues; some of
them bear a white crown of Upper Egypt,
and others wear a double crown of Upper
and Lower Egypt. A pillared hall follows the
hypostyle hall. The pillared hall features
various scenes of royalty and victories in
past wars. The Small Temple is known for
its statues of a king and his queen. Here’s
one particularity with the Small Temple:
scenes with the queen playing instruments
adorn the walls. (The instrument in question
is the sinistrum.) Pillars and bas-reliefs
depict various scenes with pharaohs,
queens, gods, and goddesses.
The Western Desert
Siwa Oasis
This is an Egyptian oasis sandwiched
between the Qattara Depression and the
Egyptian Land Sea in the Libyan Desert. It is
one of the country’s most isolated settlements
with a population of 23,000.
Agriculture is the main industry in the oasis,
though tourism has become a runner-up in
recent times.
With respect to culture, Berber inhabitants
in the oasis were talented in creating
basketry, pottery, silverwork, and
embroidery crafts. Dress styles were
also of major significance, especially bridal
silver and silver ornaments/beads women
wore at events. As roads and television
services made headway in the Siwa Oasis,
all silver ornaments were eventually
replaced by gold ornaments.
Like most parts of Egypt, the Siwa Oasis
has its share of festivals. The Sihaya Festival
is by far the leading festival in the area. It
honours Saint Sidi Sulayman, the town’s
traditional patron. What happens during
this festivity? The local men assemble on a
mountain to eat, sing songs of thanks to
God, and make peace with one another.
The women remain in the village and celebrate
by singing, dancing, and playing
drums.
Here’s a brief list of sights you might want
to check out as you visit the Siwa Oasis.
Mud-brick houses in Shali, an old town
Desert sand dunes south of Siwa
Siwa salt lake
Temple of the Oracle of the Amun
www.egypt.travel
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Canadian World Traveller Summer/Fall 2016