Aswan-En Faluca por el Nilo y en Camello al Poblado Nubio

Aswan...Day 5

Yesterday was an intense day with many emotions. Although the day ends late at night,

Sound and light show in Philae

You have to get up early to leave your bags at reception and be ready at 7:30 a.m., since today we will leave the ship. Others will occupy the booths,

Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan

to live their own adventures. The cruises hardly rest, with and against the current, in an eternal pilgrimage. We are summoned to enjoy a felucca ride along the Nile River, and the most energetic have agreed to sign up for the optional excursion to the Nubian Village at the price of 50 euros. Mr. Malak tells us that the walk along the river will last longer, with riding, optional for five euros, on a camel to the town, tattoo, drinks, picking up baby crocodiles and that food is included. We march happily towards the boarding point, stepping on several keels, it seems that the feluccas use the same system to dock as the cruise ships, until we occupy the one that corresponds to us. We start sailing and soon they invite us with timpani and tambourines, to hold hands to perform a ritual dance. Laughter and laughter accompany our own clumsiness, releasing accumulated tensions from living endless bustle. Once the ritual is over, they put aside a blanket, which covered beads and souvenirs, so that as a thank you we can buy something for...yes..."one euro". We are not very far from the coast and I don't know how long the trip should take, but another felucca immediately arrives, which we board in the middle of the riverbed. They take us upriver, waving to the rest of the group, who, I guess, head back to the jetty. The warm sun kissing our cheeks, the breeze caressing our faces, rocked by the calm waters, we plunge into a timeless trance, all reality forgotten, attentive to the exotic landscape, to the calm birds, greeting other ships that circle our course, barely attending to the words of our guide, who strives to arouse interest, describing everything as in a litany. There the Pharaonic Museum, there the Isis Island Resort, at the top the multicolored Nubian Palace Hotel, around temples and other monuments that, by name, I did not attend. In case they appear in the photos, I look now and read, the Monastery of San Simeon, the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan and the recognizable in the distance, Cathedral of the Archangel Michael, already visited. We catch a glimpse of the beach where the camels wait patiently for their victims, four of us, the most seasoned in these fights, accept the challenge. I have learned from other places, the take-off technique of these ruminants, forward weight and backward weight, compensate for standing up and avoid coming out of the ears. With a certain self-sufficiency, I don't have any trouble, and I have time to immortalize the rictus and paleness of my companions. They immediately get the hang of it and enjoy the ride, laughing and sighing. I am now beginning to suffer because my chair is not balanced, having to continually correct my position and posture. Enduring with humility ironies of the shepherd, we arrived with a certain relief on my part, to the colorful town. They now demand five euros from me and although the language barrier is insurmountable, they understand my opposition, my gesture and my tone leave no room for doubt, and despite shouting and rudeness, I only agree to give two euros, one per camel that both two we occupy Now they are arguing among themselves, I suppose that cursing my lineage and ancestors from the beginning and until the end of time, Angel arrives in time to avoid greater evils, and although I can't see if he pays them now, the storm ceases and the calm. He doesn't answer me, as always, when I question him about what happened, and dismissing the matter, he leads us to the rest of the group. In the store they welcome us with smiles and drinks, some Coca-Cola, and for those of us who have learned that it is the best for heat, tea. They accompany him with some local appetizer and show us the catalog of tattoos. As it is henna, therefore temporary, several people are encouraged to get tattooed. Although they told us that it was included, they make you pay one euro, and there is no trace of crocodiles to catch, only a small specimen locked in a cage. It is the breeding season, they say, and therefore contact is impossible. We went up to the terraces to enjoy wide panoramic views, then strolled through the market, where, in order not to repeat myself, I won't tell you what the theme of the day was. Entering a school, they make us sit on benches in a classroom, and a willing teacher teaches us on the blackboard, the differences between the Arabic and Nubian languages. A humble cardboard box collects volunteer donations at the exit. Touching the jars of a water carrier, we wanted to explain what a botijo is. We have to browse, through the streets, free for more than an hour. We are somewhat saturated with shops and hucksters, which is why that hour seems eternal to us, in the sun and without distractions. Urging the guide to leave, sitting and lazing in the shade, he agrees to the end and leads us to the felucca to return to the cruise ship. Again he answers evasively when we ask about food, and he repeats endlessly that we can settle down in the cruise restaurant. Between us we think that a robbery has just been carried out on us, since the description he gave of the excursion has been incomplete and ambiguous. Fifty euros seems to more than compensate for the second felucca, now we know from others that the round trip to the town cost ten euros, with the five euros for the camel they add up to fifteen euros. We paid one euro for the tattoo and the Nubian class in the form of a tip, it seems that the rest of what we paid in cash was pocketed by the honorable Mr. Malak. I check now and verify that the area visited seems created exclusively for the pleasure of tourists, being somewhat removed from the populated area. Anyway, we go back to the ship to eat, before the new tenants arrive.

Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan

Settled later in the bar, we suffered several hours of uncertainty and waiting. They were picking up other groups little by little, they delayed our flight departure time without much explanation. We still did not know that it was the least of our problems, since at the airport we had to endure tribulations not recommended for timorous spirits, overcoming obstacles until we reached Cairo.

Visit to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx