Esna, Egypt

Today’s stop is Esna, Egypt and the Temple of Esna, dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum. This stop is such a welcome relief as there is no tour bus and it’s just a short walk from the ship to the temple. Best of all, no crowds!

After being buried under centuries of soot (from fires lit inside the shrine) and dust, this temple was “rediscovered” in the 19th century and has been the focus of a major Egyptian–German restoration project since 2018.

Recent work has revealed vibrant original colors on the ceiling and walls that had been hidden for nearly 2,000 years. Local and international teams painstakingly clean soot and grime with tiny tools, and the results are stunning: pops of red, blue, gold, and yellow bring the ancient carvings to life.

Our walk back to the ship brought us by some interesting markets and shops, including a shop where the proprietor was foot ironing!Les mer