Sugar cane was being transported by every mode imaginable.
We saw a fire one night.
it was probably a cane field being burned to clear it for the next crop.
Lots of camels, cattle, and goats along the banks.
Whenever we came into a town we would be met by these "shops".
With their salesmen yelling prices and displaying their wares.
If you saw something you would like they would throw it up to you and you would throw money to them.
There were several occasions where there was confusion about the cost or problems with change.
You had to be careful in your negotiation.
There were also folks selling from the shore and occasionally something would go in the water and it would have to be retrieved.
Sunset on the Nile.
I don't know what this colorful building was.
Probably a school or mosque.
We saw ancient structures on the banks.
Doing the laundry and kids playing along the shore.
They managed to retrieve the soccer ball before we were out of sight.
These feluccas (Egyptian sailboats) are a common sight.
They are used for transport, commerce and pleasure, not just for the tourists.
Friends from the trip.
Most of the pictures were taken at the Jellabiya, الجلابية or Gellabiya party on board.
Some friends really worked hard trying to tie a knot without letting go of the ends of the rope.
We celebrated two birthdays on board.
I only got pictures from one of them though.
Nancy got our guide to advise her and they made a card that read.
"The great bird high on this high tree sends happy birthday."
Creatures we found in our cabin nearly every evening.
You can see our steward, Yasser, was proud of his creations.
This last creature was at Hurghada.
Our boat, the Queen of Sheba.
This is a rare view with it alone at the dock.
Most of the time it would be moored to another boat that was tied to yet another...
Sometimes we had to cross through 5 or 6 boats to get to ours.
So if you didn't stay with the group you might have trouble finding your way back.
Especially so if they rearranged them while we were touring during the day.
Here our group is boarding through the Laffayette on our way to the Queen of Sheba.
I really got to pilot the boat for a while.
With the help of my instructor I managed to not run it into a sandbar or have any other mishap.
We did hit a sandbar one evening but there was no damage or more than minor inconvenience.
There were always guards present to protect us from potential troublemakers or terrorists.
The boat ws stable enough for a casual game of pool even when we were underway.
We had a barbecue by the pool on deck one day.
An inlayed decoration in the floor of the lobby area.
The pool as too cool for any of us to take a swim, we were there in the winter after all.
Carvings by one of the chefs decorated the dining room.
The lounge.
This light wasn't exactly up to OSHA standards.
OK, OSHA doesn't have any jurisdiction so I guess I shouldn't complain.
That is a terminal block with 240 volts exposed with a tangle of loose grounded wires next to it.
The light is tied to the post, barely, and wobbled whenever a breeze hit it.
I expected to see a shower of sparks when it was turned on each evening.
Performers came on board for a show two evenings.
Live music, a belly dancer and a guy who whirled for at least 20 minutes without stopping.
Videos of the dancers.
Nubian and Arab performers put on a show another evening.
There is one set of locks on the Nile.
I don't know the protocol but it looked like a game of chicken as 8 to 10 tour boats all tried to get to the locks.
Here are some shots as we passed through going upstream.
Our timing must have been better since there weren't any other boats contending for passage.
Entering and throwing a line so we could be tied off while we were in the lock.
Looking back we are raised as the lock fills.
The upstream view as we depart the locks.
There is a non working old set of locks just upstream of the ones currently being used.
A swing bridge there can be closed to allow traffic to cross the river.
Nothing was stopped when we passed through.
The two words of Arabic that I can read, and I bet you can too.
You can start to decode it if you know that they write from right to left.
Yep, Coca Cola.