This morning we woke up in Edfu, that is called the Buggy Capital of Egypt. Of course, the transportation for the first temple of the day had to be by buggy. There were hundreds of these buggies pulled by very sickly looking horses. We had the same driver coming and going and he spoke some English and showed us the sights along the way. Some of the others on our trip didn’t have such good luck when their driver and another buggy locked wheels and they almost tipped over. We were told by our guide not to pay the driver until after the round trip when he brought us back to the ship or they will demand to be paid twice. There is always 1 couple on every trip that does not listen and did exactly what they were told not to do. A fight almost ensued when the driver demanded to be paid. Our guide was not there as he was still arranging return rides so the police had to intervene. Sometimes there is no fixing stupid

Our first stop of the day was at the Edfu Temple, which is the best conserved temple in Egypt. It was built of sandstone by the Patolemines between 327 and 57 BC and eventually completed by the Romans. This temple was dedicated to Horus, with his falcon head, son of Isis and Osris. The sheer size and extravagance of the temple is indicative of the prosperity of Egypt at the time and the influence of the Romans. It is fascinating to see these temples and palaces with an Egyptologist who can read the carvings and hieroglyphics and explain the story that is being told.

After leaving Edfu, we stopped at the imposing Greco-Roman Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Horus, the god of the sky and Sobek, the crocodile god.

When we returned to the ship Peggy decided she wanted to go to a pharmacy because she has been fighting a cold for almost the entire vacation. She asked our buggy driver. He and this other man selling pictures took us across the street and down an alley into a pharmacy. I said to Peggy that did she know that no one knew where we were right now? My security paranoia was on high alert (LOL). Here we are with 2 people of very questionable character in basically a slum trying to buy drugs. To say I was freaking out was an understatement. Peggy finally got her cough syrup and after some issues with the money we were out of there. The buggy driver was fine because we paid him for his services but the other guy who was selling pictures he had taken of us in the morning in the buggy was relentless in trying to get us to buy the pictures. He felt that we should buy the picture because he helped us out. It finally ended when we reached the gate where the guard was. Quite an experience.

We spent a wonderful afternoon on the deck of the ship, cruising the Nile and drinking wine. Life does not get any better than this.