12 November 2024

Just before getting aboard the Amunet, we visited the small but beautiful Temple of Khnum in Esna. It was built and decorated by Egyptians during the Greek and Roman occupations. Smaller than the others we have seen, this temple is striking for the colors--the original colors--still clearly visible on the columns, walls, and ceiling.





Later in this, our first afternoon aboard the Amunet, we visited a rural village of about 5,000 people. Our hostess was a villager in her 30s who welcomed us to her courtyard and house, and served us tea while we asked questions about village life. The paintings on the side of her house included a plane and a mosque, which announced that a member of her family had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. When we learned she had studied sewing in college and asked to see her work, she proudly displayed several items she had made and showed us the logo for her business. One of our fellow travelers bought one of her creations and modeled it for us.








We are being treated very, very well on this yacht. Upon boarding, we met the pilot, chef, and two stewards (but not the other dozen members of the crew). We were given damp towels to wipe our hands and faces, and a glass of welcoming hibiscus juice. Dinner tonight, from which I have just returned, consisted of four courses: salad, soup, entree, and dessert. Wine was optional but free. None of the food servings was large, so that, by the time we finished all four courses, everyone felt satisfied and no one felt over-fed. Everything on our plates was fresh, and the seasonings were subtle and delicious. We sat at three round tables, and the conversations at each were full of good humor and so lively as to be almost deafening. 








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