19 November 2024

Today has been a bit more leisurely but no less interesting than previous days. We started by visiting a spice market.  Although I was not particularly looking forward to that, because I don't cook much, I found it surprisingly appealing. The owner gave us hibiscus juice and a nice talk about his products. He began with medicinal teas, which I found so interesting that I purchased two lots: a tea meant to help stiff joints and another to open the sinuses while you drink it (inhaling the fumes). 







Outside the shop, of course, we had to pass through a gauntlet of vendors, some not so aggressive, others very much so. In fact, last night after dinner we were accosted by several pre-teen girls who grabbed at my bag of purchases and blocked the way of some of my colleagues as we walked along. Hend was there to tell them off. 

Then we took a small boat on the Nile to visit the Island of Philae, where there is another temple dedicated to Isis. Like the huge one at Abu Simpel, this one had to be rescued from the rising waters of the dam and, in this case, moved from its original island, how totally covered in water, to Philae, which rises well above the Nile, even at flood times. The temple is in worse shape than some we have seen, so I limited the number of photos I was willing to grant it. 









On the way back, we had lunch at a lakeside, Nubian restaurant, a very colorful one, as all Nubian establishments, homes, and clothes seem to be. 









Hend found a friend on the way in.


That evening, we celebrated a farewell dinner outside our storied hotel (more on that in a moment). Hend had arranged an oval tabel under a canopy in the hotel garden, and we all toasted each other and shared what each considered his or her top experiences. 



The hotel itself, the Old Cataract,  was mind-blowing in its traditional Egyptian design. It overlooks the Nile, in view of Elephantine Island. Agatha Christie was just one of many celebrities who spent time here--she in 1937 for a whole year. We toured her rooms and those of Winston Churchill. Churchill came at least three times, as a young journalist, as the navy minister, and as Prime Minister during the war. Other residents included the Aga Kahn, Lady Diana, and Czar Nicholas II. My room was large and elaborate enough for a whole family. I'm tempted to insert pictures of the bathroom as well, but let's just say it was on the same level of size and elegance, with a separate, glassed-in space for shower, huge tub, toilet, and double sink with gold fittings. Tea and chocolates were arranged on the coffee table, and the closets covered one whole wall.

Here are a few more photos of the hotel's interior.


Our breakfast room




View from the drinks terrace
















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