Cruising to Esna

We stayed last night on a quiet spot next to a sugar cane field. This morning we were greeted by a woman from the village of Hegz. We walked a dusty road along the river to her family’s home, walking by fruit trees, alfalfa for animal feed, hibiscus, enclosures for water buffalo, donkeys, cows. We passed the water pumping station built by the British and the canals used to irrigate the fields.

We met many members of the family and learned about life in their village of 5,000. Our guide demonstrated how to make folded bread and we tasted some dipped in molasses and tahini.

Back on the dahabeeya we started the three hours of our final cruise on the river. The scenery is getting a bit more urban with occasional factories and towns. Chef Mahmoud took a break to demonstrate how to make Egyptian moussaka for us. Lunch was a delicious buffet as usual.

We docked in Esna next to a walkway below a busy street with shops and coffee shops lining the other side of the street. Waleed had warned that it would be noisy plus the call to prayer is just now echoing along the river.

We left at 3:00 for a walk to a GrecoRoman temple with colorful ceilings. Esna is an ancient city which had been on the ccaravan route. The temple is in a very old part of the city with many falling-down buildings. However US AID is funding the rebuilding of a market to house small shops — we saw mattress sewing, a reconstructed sesame seed press, shops selling materials for chair covers, and a tailor sewing vests.

Back to our last evening on Alumet. Sun just beginning to set.