Monday, October 23, 2023
Today's included shore excursion was a ride on a motor launch to a Nubian village.
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| We were able to walk to embark on the motor launches |
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Our launch was festooned with Bob Marley
flags; Nubians feel a kinship with Marley -
he is Black and an advocate of smoking
marijuana, which is against the law in Egypt ... |
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| Local fishermen |
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| Plenty of motor launches and feluccas |
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| Passing the Tombs of the Nobles on the West Bank |
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This time we are on the western side of Elephantine Island,
and are passing Kitchener Island that is a Botanical Garden
created by Lord Horatio Kitchener when he was
commander of the Egyptian Army; he imported
plants from the Far East, India and Africa |
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| The West Bank has less greenery and is quickly desert |
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We again passed the Mausoleum of Aga Khan, and this time
we could see his home in which his wife continued to spend
time until her death, often opening it to tourists;
the wife is also buried in the mausoleum |
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| A Nilometer, used to measure the depth of the river |
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| This Nilometer used a chain to measure the depth |
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A couple of young boys on surfboards were shooed
away from our motor launches |
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A Nubian hotel, the modular units with vaulted
roofs are typical of Nubian architecture |
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| A resting Bubalus bubalis/Water Buffalo |
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| The motor launches follow each other through a narrow passage |
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| Reed-covered rocky islets in the Nile River |
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| This hilltop Nubian village appears to have a party island |
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| Souvenir booths on the beach |
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| Camels are waiting for tourists |
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| Approaching the Nubian village of Suhail Gharb |
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| Doroka Nubian House |
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We were guests at the Crocodile House, and tasted the
Al-Shamsi/sun bread, a thick bread we dipped in
molasses, and we drank hibiscus tea |
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Yes, the Crocodile House had Crocodylus niloticus/
Nile Crocodiles; these are the kids |
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| The adult crocodile |
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| Tamiko holding a baby crocdile (KSS) |
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| We climbed upstairs for the view into the restaurant ... |
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| ... and across the village |
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| Interesting door paint job |
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| A jumble of souvenirs |
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| Nubian faces |
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| Nubian crafts are especially colorful |
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Next we walked through the village, known
for colorfully painted houses |
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| This building is called Zahra/Flower House |
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| Another painted house |
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This time the ladies were the aggressive
vendors, following us to the motor coaches |
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| New construction? |
The motor coaches drove farther through the village before we were dropped off the school that Viking had built, starting with three classrooms and it has grown to six. Preschool-aged children come to learn the Nubian language to maintain their culture, as well as English.
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| A place to get water (KSS) |
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| A mail box |
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| We entered the school ... |
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... and the children were ready for us; they sang a song and
a few children recited the alphabet or counted in English |
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| Ahh, typical kids! |
Next: Temples of Philae.
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