Afternoon Felucca Sail

Tuesday 27 December

We spent the early afternoon at the hotel. Jade was determined to go swimming so she and Jarrah suited up for a freezing cold swim. The pool is just gorgeous but the water isn't heated so I just went and sat by the pool while they dared each other to get in.

We met up with Ahmed in the hotel lobby at 4 to go for a sunset felucca sail on the Nile. We had only a short 5 minute walk to the river from our hotel where we boarded the boat. Because I get motion sick I was a bit nervous about sailing but the river looked smooth so that calmed my nerves. The boat was manned by two men, one on the tiller the other handling the sails and also looking over the bow at the depth. The men were both darker Nubian Egyptians. We sailed upriver for a short way then turned downriver which was against the breeze so the boat had to tack. It was so quiet, calm and beautiful. The sun was beginning to set towards the end of our trip. We sailed for an hour and I could have sailed for longer. Just as we landed another felucca full of East Asians was leaving the shore. As they got out into the river they were led into singing and dancing on their boat by one of the boatmen. Ahmed said they were singing a traditional Nubian song. On seeing that I was very glad that we had had a quiet peaceful sail.

After sailing we visited the Nubian Bazaar, a street of market stalls selling souvenirs. We walked along being pestered by people trying to get us into their stall. There was also a little boy of about 8 following us trying to sell us Egyptian bookmarks. He was only has high as Jarrah’s elbow. After looking at many stalls and bargaining we came away with some goodies. I got a gorgeous aqua and black pashmina and Jade bought gifts for some of her friends. We have some free time Wednesday afternoon so we may go back.

After bagging our bargains we met up with Ahmed again and he took us to a restaurant where we had a wonderful dinner of lamb, beef and chicken with pita bread, tomato and cucumber salad, vegetable stew, tahini and rice. Everything was delicious. We shared the dishes in the centre of the table and I liked that because we could try many things without feeling we had to finish anything. Instead of getting a taxi back to the hotel we walked back and visited the Coptic cathedral just near the hotel. The cathedral is gorgeous outside but the inside was certainly very plain and disappointing. Perhaps they are still raising funds to finish it.