After Kom Ombo (https://wordpress.com/post/fivemilesout.home.blog/1969 ) it was cruising again – to Aswan, site of the famous dam and as far up the Nile as you can get on a cruiser now.
I woke early as we smoothly docked – it was Eid and incredibly quiet. It was an early start as we went on Felucca around Elephantine Island.
Two boys in a small skiff tied themselves to the felucca and sang songs, they made good money form tourists.
We went to the unfinished Obelisk, which was quite a climb and not really that impressive. It did give a good view across the Necropolis where families were leaving cake for their dead. I tried to get a good photo by climbing on a rock. I slipped when I landed and hurt my left ankle, but it did not hurt for long – at least not until I rested and it swelled up.
(Literally an obelisk they never finished excavating)
There was a bookshop on the site and I got a book on myths and legends as well as a modern Egyptian classic (well that was what Randa said) The Yacoubian Building. It is a great read, the style different from western novels.
(The Dam)
It was getting hotter and hotter and the next trip was to Philae by motorboat. Philae is another example of history being saved, as it had to be relocated from another island after the construction of Aswan Low Dam in 1902.
(Philae)
In the afternoon there was an optional tour of Aswan, starting with a Nubian café above the city (Nubia was southern Egypt in the old days and they are the non-Arabic residents of Egypt – I am not sure of the correctness of using the term but that is how it was used by the locals).
(Views from the café)
We went to a mosque going past the amazingly named Ahmed Hitler’s shop and one with a Del Trotter theme.
(Randa explains Islam in Egypt with Dad right behind her)
Finally we went to the Bazaar. It was fully dark now and it was not very well lit. One of the party, Derek, was a bit of a lothario and two women in a party vying for his attention. He was wearing an outside money belt and while he was distracted it was taken, then returned. Tom (another member of the party) and I were there to help but all seemed ok. Only later did he realise than over £100 had been stolen from it between the theft and return.
Morals of the tale – money belts can be good, but not worn outside. Stringing along two women will get you bad karma.
In the evening we were entertained by a belly dancer (in a full body stocking – it was Egypt) and a whirling Dervish.
After I got to bed I could hear the children playing in the park near where we moored, happy as it was Eid. I found the sounds comforting and fell asleep easily.
This is the ultimate summer driving song by ex-Eagles (https://wordpress.com/post/fivemilesout.home.blog/1035 ) Don Henley.
The Boys of Summer
Five Miles Out 