Elephantine Island in the Nile River
I landed Aswan in Egypt Friday 13, with many of my friends and family think neither the date nor the destination a good idea. It was only a few days after the tragic plane crash in the Sinai, but 16 years since my last visit to this laid-back city on the Nile. I arrived without incident (and without my luggage had not made the short connection in Cairo) and was soon enjoying warm climate both Aswan and warm welcome.
Time does not permit me to visit the sites usually high on the list of tourist sites such as Philae Temple, the High Dam stationary flight and Elephantine Island I do not get to walk in souk, enjoy a high tea at the chic Old Cataract Hotel and stroll through the beautiful and peaceful botanical gardens.
A gift shop rather dusty in Aswan
16 years ago was long before the Arab Spring and I definitely notice some differences. The lack of tourists and tourist shops was extremely apparent. Walking through the souk, the dozens of souvenir shops were handed over to the sale of every day goods. The owner of a tiny existing floor shop floor opened its lounge upstairs for me. It was like a treasure, memories stored, carpets, clothing and various trinkets stacked on shelves and collect dust.
High Tea on the Nile in Aswan
I find the more expensive price, but the pressure to buy less. In fact, attention to the tourists seemed to be less completely, still called to "come to my shop! 'But not the insistence he used to be and no apparent attention to be paid to some Western female tourists I saw that before would have been a lot of unwanted attention for showing too much bare skin.
Sunset on the Nile at Aswan
other things have not changed at all since I last came here. The warm, relaxed atmosphere, the kindness and hospitality of our local agent Mohamed Abouda, the beauty of the Nile and its green banks and how the Egyptians seem to just make things happen, as my luggage appearing as magically the next morning.
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