30/01: Camels, Plants and Nubians
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
Guess what time we had to be ready to leave the hotel today. The entire group was happy when we heard departure was at 8 am --- not a leisurely morning but it was daylight when we left.
Since the hotel is on an island, we all climb into a boat for a short ride to the west bank of the Nile River. Leaving the boat we boarded our next transportation ---- camels!!!! I was on a camel in 1995 but have forgotten everything about the ride other than I did it.
Don't Ed and I look like professional camel riders. It was a lot of fun.
Some of our fellow camel riders. The shadow is Ed and his camel, Mona Lisa.
We had been riding for close to 45 minutes when we arrive at the ruins of the Monastery of St. Simeon. The original building was built in the 7th century then rebuilt in the 10th century. The monastery could house a thousand monks. It also acted as a hotel for Muslims on their way to Mecca.
The monastery.
After leaving the monastery we climbed aboard our camels and headed for the river where a boat was waiting to takes us to the Aswan Botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island. Kitchener’s Island was given to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890’s when he was commander of the Egyptian army. Kitchener loved plants so imported them from all over the world and created the Aswan Botanical Gardens. After spending time in the dessert it was wonderful to walk through a tropical paradise.
Walking through the lush greenery.
Later in the afternoon we got on another boat end enjoyed a leisurely drive down the river to a Nubian Village. Nubia is a nation that originated from southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Our guide said that approximately 40 percent of the population of Aswan is of Nubian decent. A large percentage of the Nubians were relocated when the High Dam was built, so there are few original Nubian homes left. The Nubian village that we visited today was one of the few villages that was spared.
The Nubian Village was an experience. The narrow one lane roads squeezed between shops is filled with people, camels, motorbikes and trucks. Everything works fine till one mode of transportation meets another mode of transportation going the other way, then chaos breaks out. We think everyone eventually got to where they going --- well at least we did.
A spice shop.
We visited a Nubian home, enjoyed some tea and Nubian food, held a crocodile, visited a spice shop, a weaving shop and school. The second photo is another felucca on the Nile photo.
Since the hotel is on an island, we all climb into a boat for a short ride to the west bank of the Nile River. Leaving the boat we boarded our next transportation ---- camels!!!! I was on a camel in 1995 but have forgotten everything about the ride other than I did it.
Don't Ed and I look like professional camel riders. It was a lot of fun.
Some of our fellow camel riders. The shadow is Ed and his camel, Mona Lisa.
We had been riding for close to 45 minutes when we arrive at the ruins of the Monastery of St. Simeon. The original building was built in the 7th century then rebuilt in the 10th century. The monastery could house a thousand monks. It also acted as a hotel for Muslims on their way to Mecca.
The monastery.
After leaving the monastery we climbed aboard our camels and headed for the river where a boat was waiting to takes us to the Aswan Botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island. Kitchener’s Island was given to Lord Horatio Kitchener in the 1890’s when he was commander of the Egyptian army. Kitchener loved plants so imported them from all over the world and created the Aswan Botanical Gardens. After spending time in the dessert it was wonderful to walk through a tropical paradise.
Walking through the lush greenery.
Later in the afternoon we got on another boat end enjoyed a leisurely drive down the river to a Nubian Village. Nubia is a nation that originated from southern Egypt and northern Sudan. Our guide said that approximately 40 percent of the population of Aswan is of Nubian decent. A large percentage of the Nubians were relocated when the High Dam was built, so there are few original Nubian homes left. The Nubian village that we visited today was one of the few villages that was spared.
The Nubian Village was an experience. The narrow one lane roads squeezed between shops is filled with people, camels, motorbikes and trucks. Everything works fine till one mode of transportation meets another mode of transportation going the other way, then chaos breaks out. We think everyone eventually got to where they going --- well at least we did.
A spice shop.
We visited a Nubian home, enjoyed some tea and Nubian food, held a crocodile, visited a spice shop, a weaving shop and school. The second photo is another felucca on the Nile photo.