Stanley sails on his first felucca and visit to a Nubian villiage

I'm taking my first ever felucca ride down the Nile River. I am so excited! Tonight I get to visit a Nubian Village. Nubians have been around for a very long time.  Their name is from the word Nub which means gold because there was a lot of gold mines.  They speak their own language.  We could only get there by boat and then hop in the back of a pickup truck to take us to the village which is at the edge of the Sahara desert and the Nile River.

My first felucca ride.  I had a life vest but I took it off for my picture.  I swear I put it right back on.

Pretty sunset sailing on the Nile

The hotel below was built in 1899.  A lot of famous people have stayed here and a famous author, Agatha Christie also wrote her book here.

The Cataract Hotel

Across the way is Elephantine Island.  They told me that one of the reasons it is called this is because the big round rocks look like elephants.

This is Elephantine Island

Old Hieroglyphics on Elephantine Island 

An awesome view of the Nile River from the Nubian Village.

Nubian women walking along the road

This little boy was not too sure about seeing us.  Finally, someone my size!

The food was prepared inside someone's home.  It was so good.  I loved the bread and the soup the best.

Chow down!

  Below is what the inside of a local Nubian home looks like.  It was really neat to be able to visit and have dinner at their home.  It doesn't look like the inside of our houses.  It would be fun having a giant sandbox as my family room.  Three families live here and they have their rooms off to the side.  

This was Lydia eating inside the Nubian home.  She didn't like me taking her picture when she was eating.

Lydia was getting a henna tattoo by one of the women.  Boys do not get them but I still thought it would have been fun.

I met some nice friends here.

This was one of the dad's and even though his face was serious, he was so excited to take his picture with me.  I was excited too.

This was on our boat ride back to our hotel.  They are tombs that are lit up at night on a hill next to the Nile.  It was a nice relaxing dinner and evening.



Tomorrow I have to wake up REALLY early for a long car ride down to the southern edge of Egypt. I have to be up and going by 430am. to see two temples at Abu Simbel.  You are only allowed to travel on that road during certain hours.  At least I can sleep on the way down.