After a grueling train trip with very little sleep, we were greeted by Mohammed (yet another) of the Nuba Nile Hotel. We dropped our bags, showered, did some laundry in the sink, and hopped on a minibus.
Somehow, we found ourselves on organized tours for the next couple days, but I suppose that's the most cost effective (and simplest) way to do it. We visited the new and old dams of Aswan, the amazing Philae temple (which had to be relocated to another island after the Nile flooded in creation of Lake Nassar), then headed back to the hotel.
After a very short 10 minute break, we walked down the the Nile River; about a 3 minute walk. We boarded a boat at sunset, and rode on the roof upstream (south) to the Nubian village on the West Bank. The Nubians have their own culture, food, music, and even language, which is only spoken, and not written. We arrived in a small village of all white stucco houses with blue doors and either no roof or a thatched one. The place we visited was a family's home that they had opened up to tourists a couple times a month (it rotates between families) for a bit of extra income. Their house was really beautiful, with sand floors in the common areas, simple furniture, and hand made decorations. They keep a crocodile for luck in the house (a big, scary one in a cage), and also smaller ones that I held and had sit on my shoulder (not scary at all, actually quite cute).
To start, they served hibiscus tea, which is either served hot or cold with sugar. For dinner, we ate crocodile soup (which at this point I felt a bit guilty about), and it was very good. A bit like chicken rice, but with a slight sea taste to it. The rest of dinner was mainly vegetarian (potatoes in thin tomato sauce, barley, minced cucumber tomato salad, and pita), but then they threw a chicken leg on top. All very good. After dinner, I had a henna tattoo painted on my hand in a traditional wedding style (for lack of imagination on my part, and suggested by our guide, Ahmed). Before we left, we bought a few handmade trinkets, and boarded the boat again to head back into town.
Ahmed took us to have tea (black with fresh mint leaves) and smoke shisha (hookah). We played dominoes, and I was doing very well until I played him. I lost 103 to 32, and as punishment, had to run full speed to the end of the street and back. I felt like a fool, but had a fun time anyway. Around midnight we headed back to the hostel with our new Colombian friend, Jorge, and crashed. Wake up call the next "morning" was at 2:30 am! ahhh....sleep isn't happening for us at this point.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment