High Dam: A visit to the Aswan High Dam is an inspiring experience. While its neighbors have experienced famines, Egypt has been spared because of the dam, and there is no longer flooding—an important consideration given that about 95 percent of Egypt’s population lives within 12 miles of the river. The first Aswan dam was built in 1889, but even after it was raised twice, it almost overflowed in 1946. The High Dam prevents this from occurring, and the beautiful Lake Nasser is the third largest reservoir in the world, stretching for 500 miles. The dam was created from tons of rubble (enough to build 17 pyramids) and provides about half of Egypt's power supply.

The dam, for all its good, has caused problems and controversy. First, paying for the dam caused havoc. Egypt requested loans from the World Bank. The United States initially agreed but then suddenly withdrew, presumably because of Nasser’s refusal to give up his county’s non-aligned status. Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal to help pay for the dam, and the United Kingdom, France, and Israel invaded. The Soviets stepped in to the “rescue” and provided the necessary money and technology. (They wore out their welcome over the next few years.) Once the project was underway, over 90,000 Nubians were relocated, and there was a wild race to save the artifacts of the region before they submerged. Now that the dam is finished, it is rapidly filling with sediment, which is decreasing its storage capacity, farmers use about a million tons of artificial fertilizer they did not need before, and the Nile delta faces erosion. Poor drainage of the newly irrigated lands has led increased salinity, which leaches back from the salty ocean sand below, and the stagnant hot water must be carefully monitored for parasites. Still, it is pretty, and no one misses the big famines.

Quarries: The tools used to cut the hard granite rock for the monuments of the pharaohs are unknown, but the granite cut in Aswan was hewn in massive quantities and used as far away as Thebes. The only tools that remain are copper, which would have been far too soft, and it appears that the ancients could bore granite at far greater speeds than we can achieve today. Perhaps the most famous quarry is the site in Aswan of the Unfinished Obelisk. The obelisk would have been the largest the world had seen, but flaws in the stone prevented its completion.

Temple of Philae: Philae is an island now buried beneath Lake Nasser, submerged by the High Dam. The main temple, the center of the cult of the goddess Isis, was relocated to the island of Agilika. Philae was a tiny island about four miles south of modern Elephantine almost entirely covered with temples and other monuments. The new location was carefully landscaped to make it resemble Philae as much as possible, and about 40,000 blocks weighing about 20,000 tons were moved to the new location. The temple is distinguished by several 60 foot tall pylons. The most beautiful part of the temple is Trajan’s Kiosk, which shows the Roman emperor making offerings to Isis and Osiris.

Talent Show: Whether you sing or dance or just dress up and prance, come and entertain us. Don’t worry if you are not quite ready for Broadway: talent is great, but enthusiasm works just fine.