Truly Love Egypt Luxor & Aswan 2
October 2015 Issue 17
Wadi Allaqi Elephantine Island Philae Island Recipe: Besarah
PLEASE TURN ON YOUR SOUND
The song that’s playing is Ah We Ah by Ahmed Mounib
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Cont
EDITOR’S MESSAGE Aswan; 7000 years of being a cultural, religious and commercial magnet!
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TRULY LOVE NATURE Wadi Allaqi Protectorate; a rare cultural and natural beauty! 6 Wadi Allaqi
10 TRULY LOVE DAY ACTIVITIES Elephantine Island; a multitude of things to enjoy!
14 SCRAPBOOK PAGE 16 TRULY LOVE HISTORY Philae Island; the meeting of cultures and beliefs! 2
10 Elephantine Island
tents
22 TRULY LOVE SHOPPING Absolutely exotic, extremely Egyptian and entirely organic!
26 TRULY LOVE NIGHTLIFE Eclectic experiences!
30 TRULY LOVE INVESTING Ideas based on the region’s resources with excellent ROI! 16 Philae Island
32 TRULY LOVE CUISINES Besarah; another true vegetarian Egyptian dish!
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FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHERS Ali Azalicja, Natalia Semarii, Květa Částová and Fatma Lasheen
26 Nightlife!
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UPCOMING ISSUE 3
TRULY LOVE HISTORY By Aisha AbdelWahab
Have you ever wanted to travel to an exotic island where the locals would welcome you with tons of gold, silver, food and other goodies? Experience what a true bond with nature feels like? The true value of places before electronics and technology started having a major role in our lives? Allow me to let you in on something‌ Aswan, the city of traditional southern Egyptian beauty, has the answers to all of these questions: Philae. Philae is a beautiful island currently in the
reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam. It was originally located near the expansive First Cataract of the Nile River in southern Egypt. Due to rapids flooding the islands during the construction of the Aswan Low Dam in 1902, the temple complex was relocated to a nearby island, Agilkia Island. One of two neighboring islands and a UNESCO world heritage site, it is said that although the original Philae Island was seemingly small (only 1,250 ft long and 390 ft wide), the island was mentioned in the works of many
Cont.
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ancient writers. Philae Island is the site of many monuments and architectural wealth. As you travel through the centuries while you study these ancient monuments, you'll notice that some date back to Pharaonic times whilst others date to the Caesars. The island groups different amazing cultures into one location, surrounded by a lofty wall made out of Syenite stones. Before the entrance to the historical sites, you will find many obelisks and propylaea gracing the lands as they
patiently await your arrival. Some propylaea have Ancient Greek inscriptions while the obelisks have Hieroglyphic inscriptions on them. Beyond the propylaea and obelisks, there are various small temples dedicated to different gods. The most ancient monument is a temple for Isis that was built between 380 BC and 362 BC during the reign of Nectanebo I, an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh who founded the last native dynasty of Egypt. There's another smaller temple which was built in honor of Cont.
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Hathor, where you can see the last remaining columns surmounted by the head of the goddess. Although several different cultures have passed by this island and left their mark, peace did not always reign between the various beliefs and their mark wasn’t always welcome. Some of the architectural wealth was either demolished or vandalized by the early Christians that arrived on the island later on. Being completely against heathen images, many of the ancient engravings were
vandalized and a cross was engraved atop Hieroglyphs on some of the pillars. However, Horus and his winged solar-disk were spared because Horus' stories, presumably, have similarities with Jesus' stories. In addition, due to the dry climate, the breathtaking colors that were used to paint the temples have lost their brilliance. Nonetheless, The temples remain beautiful and the Hieroglyphs superb. So be ready with your camera as this little island has enough history to fill several photo albums. 21
TRULY LOVE INVESTING By Omar Ibrahim This section is dedicated to small and medium sized investors looking for possibilities to invest their money from afar or move to a country where sunshine, sea and relaxation are a way of life.
Luxor and Aswan, though 215 Km apart, are pretty much considered as one city, probably because they’re often visited together. Moreover, they both encompass some of the world’s most wondrous ancient monuments and awe-inspiring nature which enshrine the tourism industry as the primary source of income for both cities, after which a growing agricultural sector comes second. Thanks to the abundant source of fresh water and the increase in the momentum of agricultural development, Luxor and Aswan are well apt to adopt various farming businesses focused on poultry or cattle raising, which will be able to sustain their markets with essential products like eggs, cheese and meat and even export them fresh to nearby cities like Hurghada and Safaga. The Aswan High Dam, having stored huge amounts of water in its reservoir, has opened the door to new prospects in the fishing industry. Timidly emerging fishing activities have begun to commercially bear fruit, especially prominent Nile species like the Tilapia. However, a study suggests that huge stocks of other species like Tiger fish and Alestes are still unexploited. This will require more courage to invest in bigger and better boats with some modifications of the techniques and the methods. There is also a chance to improve fish processing, packaging and shipping. However, not solely confined to tourism and agriculture, prospects of investment in Aswan are particularly huge in mining and industry. Possibilities of growth in fertilizers
and other chemical industries are substantial, which persuaded the authorities to issue a decree to construct a phosphate industrial zone with 12 integrated industrial complexes, making use of the phosphate ores which the area is rich in. An area on the west bank of the Nile near Aswan and Edfu is very rich in white sand which is intensively shipped and manufactured into glass and crystal products in Cairo and Alexandria. So it is obviously feasible to construct a glass or crystal factory in Aswan, which has also been recommended by a governmental report addressing industrial development issues in the city. Open air weddings in the midst of grassy lawns (often mowed and strictly trimmed) in the light of day is trending in Egypt. But what if we remove the boring lawns and add Luxor’s or Aswan’s Nile and delightful nature, or a view of a mighty piece of ancient Egyptian architecture? Such an open-air wedding venue would bring couples from cities as far as Cairo and Alexandria. Even non-Egyptians would find this unique experience irresistible.
Regulations and Safety Issues 1. Do not drink tap water. 2. When sightseeing, ensure you have water and head protection so as not to suffer from sun/heat strokes. 3. Always negotiate and agree on the fare before using taxis and horse carriages. 4. Do not eat food sold on the street. 5. Although there is no real reason for it, it’s safer to keep your passport at your hotel. 31
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