Day 10 - A Day on the Nile

I really, really like the look of the title. I don't know when cruising on the Nile became a "bucket list" item of mine. There are not nearly as many unfulfilled travel locations as there once were on it because many have already been checked off. Of course, I'm at the point in my life where I realize there's not enough time left to do everything. So as in all of life, it ends up being a matter of priorities.


As soon as I opened the curtains to the room this morning and caught a glimpse of rural Egyptian life along the Nile River, I realized I had definitely attained this one. What a mesmerizing task we had set for the day! We spent it watching scenery pass by on the east and west banks of the river. It was fantastically addicting. Both Jay and I have always good watchers, be if from a car or other conveyance. Some others are easily bored with passing views, but not us.


So, that did end up being the sum total of the day. The cruise spent a total of 3 hours at the cities of Kom Ombo and Edfu. At the former, our boat parked right at the temple area. There were about 20 slots for cruises to park along the waterfront but we were the only one present. It seems as though there are only a few cruise lines still operating during this tourism slump. At the second stop, an "appropriate collective name" of horse and carriages descended upon the entrance near the gang plank. Of the 25 or so, only a handful had customers from our ship. I felt a little sad for the others who'd rushed in near 40c heat to try to make a few pounds.


We, being temporarily, "templed-out" and with the Valley of the Kings and Luxor to look forward to, avoided leaving the comfort of the dining area, room, and sun deck. Lazing in a comfortable lounge chair watching farmers and donkeys toiling in the fields felt a little condescending and a bit wrong. I wondered if aliens from other planets pass by earth watching the routine of earth locals. Yet that feeling evaporated as near sunset young boys in villages would run out to the water's edge and shout hello waving their arms and dancing. We replied in kind. (Well, except for the dancing part that is.)


Even after dinner, everyone on-board rushed to the sun deck although it was closer to a "full-moon" deck at the time. We passed through two locks at the city of Esna between 8:00 and 9:00 pm. I feel that large-scale infrastructure projects are interesting even though I am more artist than engineer.

It has been a wonderful day. I don't think that I ever have nor ever will spend a day quite like today.