The city of Aswan has been an important city since pharaonic times. It's location at the first cataract was the entry from into Egypt from Nubia and as such was both an important garrison town and trading center. It's quarries provided much of the stone for the temples downstream. A relatively clean (I actually dared to stick my hand in the Nile here) and pleasant city, it was a major change from the frantic pace of Cairo. Supposedly, it gets crazy hot here, but the weather started to turn for the better when we arrived. If we had it to do again, I think we would have spent another night in Aswan.

	View of the Nile from the boat at Aswan. Kara at the Granite quarry, with a view of Aswan in the background. Hadn't quite started to cool off yet. The granite quarry below. The unfinished Oblique. Started twice and ultimately abandoned in place due to the development of flaws. A very bad day for some ancient mason.
	City of the dead
	The boat ride to the Temple of Philae

All photos on this page are originals by & copyrighted by Daren Willden, unless otherwise stated. All rights reserved.